A Newton County man is facing multiple charges after a stolen vehicle call turned into a police chase and manhunt Wednesday afternoon.
Seth Little, 29, was arrested Thursday and charged with breaking and entering of an occupied dwelling, stealing a vehicle, felony fleeing and “numerous traffic violations.”
Sheriff Joedy Pennington said a jeep was reported stolen off Decatur Conehatta Road about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, where the suspect had broken into a home and stolen the keys to the vehicle. Shortly after, he said he spotted the vehicle heading along Decatur Carthage Road and gave chase.
“I turned the lights on. He wouldn’t stop,” he said. “I turned the siren on. He wouldn’t stop.”
Pennington said he followed the suspect through Decatur with Decatur Police Department joining in the pursuit on Broad Street.
“We went through Decatur, down Turkey Creek Road, left on Pine Bluff where the culvert was out,” he said. “They had the road closed with barricades, one on each side of it. He busted through the first one, made it across where the culvert hadn’t been dug out, and busted through the other ones.”
After breaking through the construction barricades, Pennington said the suspect attempted to turn left onto Roger Creek Road but failed and left his wrecked vehicle to flee on foot.
“He bailed out into some thick brush and woods,” he said.
Newton Police Department and Mississippi Department of Transportation law enforcement joined Pennington and Decatur officers in a 4-hour search. However, Pennington said, they were not able to find the suspect.
Once the manhunt was ended, Pennington said he and deputies investigated, learning the suspects’ identity and where he might be hiding.
“Thursday, about 4:00, we took him into custody behind the Chevron in Newton,” he said.
During the investigation, Pennington said deputies uncovered additional information about Little, which resulted in a separate charge for credit card fraud.
Pennington said he wanted to thank the Decatur Police Department, Newton Police Department and Mississippi Department of Transportation, as well as each of the officers who assisted in the chase and search.
“I want to say thank you to everyone helped in the chase and trying to locate him,” he said.
