Cheryl Owens
The Meridian Star, Miss.
A Lauderdale County Deputy Sheriff was injured Wednesday night while attempting to stop a stolen vehicle driven by a 12-year-old girl.
According to Lauderdale County Sheriff Billy Sollie the incident happened shortly before 8 p.m. in a trailer court off Valley Road just outside the Meridian city limits, where the juvenile had stolen her mother’s car after a conflict between the two.
Sollie said when deputies arrived on the scene and spotted the vehicle they then attempted to stop the vehicle to no avail.
“This particular trailer court is a circle drive,” Sollie said. “The driver continued to make loops in the trailer court – that’s when deputies deployed spikes, more than once, striking the tires. The last time through the trailer court the operator of the vehicle struck a deputy.”
After striking the deputy with the vehicle, Sollie said the individual in the car went down the road and came back toward the deputy that was laying on the ground, utilizing the car as a weapon. Another deputy that was on scene fired his weapon to attempt to stop the vehicle before further injuries could occur, Sollie said.
Sollie said the deputy was taken to a local hospital where he was treated for fractures and contusions. The deputy plans to see an orthopedic surgeon concerning his injuries.
The girl was taken into custody and is being housed in a youth detention center in the state, Sollie said. She received no injuries.
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigations are documenting the events that occurred involving this incident, according to Sollie.
“Having seen the video of the incident – the deputy is extremely lucky to be with us today,” Sollie said.
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©2018 The Meridian Star (Meridian, Miss.)