High-Speed Chase Ends with Arrest on I-59

Written with artificial intelligence assistance.

A dramatic high-speed chase on Interstate 59 early Wednesday morning concluded with the arrest of a motorcyclist after reaching speeds over 100 mph. The pursuit began when Chief Deputy Mitch Sumrall of the Jones County Sheriff’s Department attempted to pull over a Harley Davidson motorcycle traveling northbound near the 90-mile marker in Ellisville.

James Alton Berry IIIPhoto byJones County Police Department

The motorcyclist, later identified as 43-year-old James Alton Berry III from Purvis, Mississippi, initially complied but then accelerated, leading to a high-speed chase. The pursuit continued until Berry reached the 16th Avenue off-ramp in Laurel. At that point, Laurel Police Department officers were responding to a two-vehicle injury crash at the intersection.

Berry, apparently believing that the police presence was part of a roadblock designed to prevent his escape, came to a stop and was promptly taken into custody by Chief Deputy Sumrall.

Berry now faces several charges, including Reckless Driving in Excess of 100 mph, Failure to Yield to Blue Lights, and Driving with a Suspended License. He is currently detained at the Jones County Adult Detention Facility and is awaiting his first court appearance in Jones County Justice Court.