Jackson Man Accused of Violent Crimes, Leading Police on High-Speed Chase
A Jackson man, Jonathan Versell, is facing multiple charges after allegedly stabbing one person, carjacking another, and leading police on a high-speed chase through Jackson and Ridgeland. The 37-year-old had been serving a sentence for violent felonies committed nearly two decades ago, according to an investigation by 3 On Your Side.
Versell had already completed 16 years in prison after pleading guilty to armed robbery and aggravated assault in 2007. At the time, he was sentenced to a combination of prison time and three years of probation, which was scheduled to end in December 2026, as indicated by records from the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC).
The night of the incident, Capitol Police responded to a disturbance outside Jackson’s Union Station, where Versell allegedly became hostile toward a security guard. When the guard drew his weapon, Versell fled the scene, stabbed one person, and stole a sport-utility vehicle from another individual. Shortly after the robbery, Capitol Police spotted the stolen vehicle on Woodrow Wilson Avenue. Officers attempted to make a traffic stop, but Versell fled, leading them on a high-speed chase that spanned across Jackson and Ridgeland. The chase ultimately ended at Rice Road in Ridgeland, where Versell was taken into custody without further incident.
According to law enforcement, Versell may be homeless, as indicated by records associated with his charges. He now faces several serious charges, including armed carjacking, aggravated assault, and felony fleeing. Currently, he is being held in the Raymond Detention Center as authorities continue their investigation into the events that transpired Thursday night.
This arrest adds to Versell’s long history of violent crimes, raising questions about his early release from prison and the adequacy of his probationary oversight.
