Four suspects are in custody after a shoplifting incident at a Madison, Mississippi business escalated into a police chase on Friday evening.
According to the Madison Police Department (MPD), the incident occurred just before 6 p.m. when Dicks Sporting Goods reported two males and two females suspected of shoplifting. As officers responded, they were alerted that a store clerk had been assaulted during a brief confrontation with the suspects.
The suspects then fled the scene in a white Dodge Charger with an Indiana license plate. A Madison officer later spotted the vehicle on Cotton Hill and initiated a traffic stop. However, the suspects refused to pull over, leading to a pursuit. The vehicle turned onto Colony Park and continued northbound on Interstate 55.
During the chase, a collision occurred between two civilian vehicles near mile marker 108 on I-55, causing one of the vehicles to veer into the left lane and side-swipe a police patrol car. The officers and the drivers of the civilian vehicles involved in the accident were all taken to local hospitals with minor injuries. All are expected to recover.
The suspect vehicle eventually slowed to a stop on the right shoulder near mile marker 109, where two female suspects, Damonia Johnson (18) and Traieonna Earl (19), were taken into custody without resistance. The two male suspects attempted to flee on foot but were quickly apprehended. Garland Garner (22) was caught after a short pursuit, and the driver, Thomas Carr (21), was located moments later with the assistance of a drone equipped with thermal imaging.
The four suspects, all from Flint, Michigan, are facing a range of charges:
- Thomas Carr: felony fleeing, felony shoplifting, felony conspiracy, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, expired driver’s license, and no insurance.
- Garland Garner: felony conspiracy, felony shoplifting, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and simple assault.
- Damonia Johnson and Traieonna Earl: felony conspiracy and felony shoplifting.
The suspects remain in custody as authorities continue their investigation.
