A Summit police officer collided with another car while in pursuit of an escaped inmate.
Mississippi Highway Patrol Cpl. Brandon Fortenberry said Officer Sonya Woodall of McComb and Tracey Gardner of Summit were both traveling north on Martin Luther King Drive in Summit near Honeysuckle Trail.
Fortenberry said Woodall, traveling in a 2013 Dodge Charger patrol unit, attempted to pass Gardner, who was traveling in a 2003 Hyundai Sonata.
He said as Woodall was passing Gardner, the Sonata’s front end drifted into the front right end of Woodall’s vehicle.
Fortenberry said both cars drove into a tree line, where they both came to rest.
He said Woodall and Gardner were both transported to Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center with complaints of pain.
Gardner’s passenger, LaQuasha Martin of Summit, did not sustain any injuries during the accident. Fortenberry said the accident is under investigation by the Highway Patrol.
Antonio Henderson, 23, escaped from a work detail at the city barn in Summit 12:30 p.m. Thursday. Henderson took a white 2005 GMC Sierra Crew Cab, license plate G57924 from the site. The truck has a “Town of Summit Water Dept.” decal on the side.
Summit Police Chief James Isaac said Henderson headed south toward McComb and all of his units, including Woodall, were in pursuit of Henderson when the accident occured.
Henderson, who is from LeFlore County, is still on the lam from authorities. He was set to be paroled Wednesday, but because no one from his family responded to requests for someone to take responsibility for him, he could not be released.
He was serving a two-year sentence for grand larceny. Henderson now faces charges of escape and theft of a motor vehicle.
Anyone with any information is asked to call the Pike County Sheriff’s Department at 601-783-6767 or Crimestoppers at 601-684-0033.
