Desoto County man dead after police chase

MEMPHIS, Tennessee – A man is dead after he was found “unconscious” behind the wheel in Hernando, Mississippi, following a nighttime police chase.

According to Hernando police, officers conducted a traffic stop on a blue Ford F-150 near Pleasant Hill Road on Interstate 55 shortly before 1 a.m.

The vehicle, carrying a man and a woman, then stopped at a weigh station on I-55.

After the woman was identified by police, she got out of the vehicle. The male driver tried to persuade the officers to let him use the phone in the car.

The man then drove away at high speed and left the weighing station, police said. A chase was then initiated.

The man reportedly stopped on the right shoulder of I-55 near Church Road.

When officers tried to contact the driver, there was no response, according to police. At that point, they smashed a window of the vehicle.

HPD stated that while using service resources, they noticed the unconscious driver with a handgun on his lap.

At this point, officers secured the driver and the gun before calling medical personnel to the scene.

According to reports, the male driver was pronounced dead at the scene and turned over to the DeSoto County Coroner.

No officers were reported injured.

The name of the deceased is not being released as law enforcement is currently attempting to contact the family.

According to HPD, the Southaven Police Department, DeSoto County Sheriff’s Department and Mississippi Bureau of Investigation assisted with the incident and the ongoing investigation.

This is a developing story. WREG will provide updates as they become available.