Lancaster Police Arrest Suspect After Pursuit
LANCASTER – A minor disturbance call turned into a runaway driver earlier this month when Lancaster Police were called to a business in the 1300 block of Johns Avenue at around 3:30 p.m. on request of the manager.
The subject was Identified as Rodney Jackson, 50, from Lancaster. Police were called by the manager of the business about a suspect detailing cars on the property, which he said he had been asked to do by management.
When the Lancaster PD officer attempted to make contact with Jackson, he got into the front passenger seat of a maroon Dodge Charger. The driver of the Dodge Charger, later identified as Jesse Byers Jr., 27, also of Lancaster, then proceeded to drive the Dodge Charger out of the business parking lot.
As the Lancaster officer turned on his lights and began to follow the car in order to conduct a routine traffic stop, Byers fled in the vehicle.
The driver drove slowly down Johns Avenue then sped up as he wound through a variety of streets running two vehicles off the road and failing to stop at a stop sign in the process. From there the suspect continued driving the vehicle northbound onto N. Dallas Avenue and then eastbound onto E. Wintergreen Road where he recklessly weaved through stopped traffic at a stop light hitting the curb and causing the rear driver side tire of the vehicle to burst.
Lancaster PD followed the car with lights activated, initially. They turned the siren on later, in an attempt to catch up with Byers, due to the high traffic time of the day and his reckless driving.
While the Lancaster PD notified dispatch they were not chasing the Dodge Charger, they did express concern over Byers’ reckless driving and the wellbeing of drivers on the roadway.
Hutchins Joins Pursuit
Soon thereafter Byers crossed over into the City of Hutchins. The Hutchins Police then joined the pursuit. Byers then wrecked the vehicle in the 1300 block of E. Wintergreen Road.
The pursuit was still not over. When Lancaster Police arrived at the scene, the vehicle was empty. According to a witness, Byers had fled on foot through the warehouses while Jackson was seen walking on the roadway where he was soon arrested.
Thanks to witnesses, Byers was then located hiding in a sewage drain and in possession of a handgun.
The Lancaster officer involved unholstered his weapon and told Byers to come out with his hands up. About 10 minutes later Byers came out of the drainage ditch and was arrested without further incident. It was also discovered Byers had 0.4 ounces of marijuana in his left pocket. He was arrested on charges of Evading Arrest or Detention with a Vehicle, a felony and also Possession of Marijuana under two ounces, a misdemeanor.
The suspect was transported to Crescent Medical Hospital due to possible injuries from wrecking the Dodge Charger during the incident.
Jackson received a Criminal Trespass warning letter as well due to his involvement at the business where the minor disturbance call had been made by management.
