A man is in custody after he allegedly took off with his girlfriend’s children from the car line at Union Elementary and High School campus Monday morning and then led authorities on a chase that ended in Neshoba County near House.
Union Assistant Police Chief Mitch Kennedy said 28-year-old Caleb Austin Roach of 208 Thornton Road, Butler, Ala., was arrested by the Neshoba County Sheriff’s Department Monday morning. The Union Police Department has not filed charges in Newton County as of Monday night for the incident at the school.
The Neshoba County Sheriff’s Office have charged the suspect with felony fleeing and aggravated domestic assault, according to Neshoba County Sheriff Eric Clark.
Kennedy said they will likely file charges tomorrow, as they were investigating the incident and finalizing warrants. The suspect could also face additional charges from other agencies.
Kennedy said there was an apparent incident at the home of Roach’s girlfriend in Neshoba County before school Monday morning that led to the incident in the Union Elementary and High School car line.
“A black Camry pulled into the car rider line at Union Public School and a female jumped out of the car and said she had been assaulted to call 911,” Kennedy said in a statement. “The driver of the car recklessly left the school with her two children still in the car. The driver dropped the two children off at the (Union Junction) Chevron at Hwy. 15 and 492 where they were found safe with no injuries. Neshoba County Sheriff’s Department later apprehended the suspect on Hwy. 492 East without incident.”
Clark said a deputy overheard traffic from Union about the incident at the school when he began patrolling the southern end of Neshoba County.
“The deputy met the Black Camry while patrolling on Deemer Road (Road 505),” Clark said. “The deputy turned around to pursue the suspect. When he got to Hwy. 492, the deputy had lost contact with the suspect but decided to head east toward House.”
Clark said the deputy shortly caught up to the suspect and began attempting to stop the vehicle.
“The driver was traveling at an excessive rate of speed and attempting to pass other drivers on a double yellow line,” Clark said. “When the driver realized that he could not elude the deputy, he gave himself up at the substation on Hwy. 492, about one mile west of House.
“God blessed us and put us in the right place. We’re glad that none of our deputies were hurt, the suspect wasn’t hurt, and the children were fine.”
Union took custody of the suspect, and he is now in the Neshoba County Jail.
Kennedy said the girlfriend was treated and released at Neshoba General Hospital.
Clark said his deputies met the victim at the hospital and obtained a statement leading to the aggravated assault charges. Clark believes the assault likely took place some time between Sunday night and when they took the children to school Monday morning. He believes the home is located near the intersection of Deemer Road and Road 2228.
“I would like to thank Neshoba County Sheriff Department, Newton County Sheriff Department, Mississippi Highway Patrol, and Union School faculty in their fast response,” Kennedy said. “This was crucial in the safe return of the children and apprehension of the suspect.”
Kennedy said no one was injured during the incident at the school, gas station or during the pursuit on Hwy. 492. The children were returned to the custody of their mother as of Monday afternoon.
Union School Superintendent Tyler Hansford said they cooperated with law enforcement and followed their policies and procedures.
“I am proud of how our staff leapt into action to help in a situation that was outside of our control,” Hansford said. “They made sure the individuals involved in the incident were taken care of and immediately coordinated with law enforcement. As always, we will look at this incident and evaluate if there are ways we can improve an already safe and efficient car rider process.”
The Union Public School District also released the following statement:
