A concerned mother’s call from Arkansas led to the dramatic arrest of a Mississippi man and the safe rescue of a domestic violence victim during a high-risk traffic stop involving drawn weapons on Tuesday evening.
According to The Natchez Democrat, Adams County E-911 Dispatch received a distress call at 4:44 p.m. from a woman reporting that her daughter was being held at gunpoint inside a black Chevrolet truck with Rebel flags. The vehicle had last been seen near the Mississippi River bridge, prompting a BOLO alert issued at 5:06 p.m.
Sheriff Travis Patten immediately responded and headed toward the bridge. While staying on the phone with dispatchers, the victim’s mother used the Life360 app to help authorities track the vehicle as it traveled south on U.S. 61. She reported that the suspect was physically assaulting her daughter and waving a firearm.
Sheriff Patten and Mississippi Highway Patrol Trooper DeQuatarrius Jackson located the truck and conducted a high-risk stop with weapons drawn. Officers successfully removed the victim from the vehicle and arrested the suspect, James Baker, 24, of Hattiesburg.
A search of the vehicle uncovered a .45 caliber pistol, a 12-gauge shotgun, ammunition, and a knife.
Baker has been charged with domestic violence/simple assault. Both he and the victim were taken to the Adams County Sheriff’s Office for further investigation.
Sheriff Patten praised Trooper Jackson for his vital role in the safe resolution of a dangerous situation.