A foot chase across East Clay Street that resulted in three people being arrested was the culmination of an action-packed hour for the Warren County Sheriff’s office Friday afternoon that included four arrests and three stolen cars being recovered.

The sheriff’s office received a call Friday morning around 6:30 a.m.  that a 2012 GMC pickup-truck, a 2014 Ford Taurus and a 2013 Nissan Altima were all missing from a driveway in the 200 block of Sweetgum Lane.

“All three vehicles I might note were unlocked with the keys in the ignition,” Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace said. “The pickup truck had a handgun in it at the time it was stolen.”

By Friday evening, the sheriff’s department had recovered all three vehicles and the handgun after the GMC pick-up was spotted by a sheriff’s deputy on Clear Creek Road around 5 p.m. The owner of the cars spotted the other two missing vehicles near the Outlets of Vicksburg a little before 6 p.m.

David Emerson, 26, was driving the pick-up truck at the time it was recovered and was arrested and charged with car theft. 

“The owner actually spotted what they believed to be the Ford Taurus near the outlet mall on East Clay Street and called 911,” Pace said. “As sheriff deputies converged, both the Taurus and the Altima were there.”

When Investigator Todd Dykes and Deputy Dustin Keys arrived at Cracker Barrel, the Nissan sped away from the parking lot, Pace said. Dykes was able to keep the Taurus from driving away and the three occupants of the vehicle jumped out of the car and tried to escape on foot.

“Todd blocked the vehicle, they bailed out on foot and Todd actually had to jump out and stop the vehicle from rolling,” Pace said. “They had jumped out of the car and left it in gear. Detective Dykes jumped out of his vehicle, into the stolen vehicle and stopped it from rolling into parked cars. Dustin Keys took after the three on foot.”

Pace said he joined the chase on East Clay Street and they were eventually able to apprehend Nathan Rowell, 18, and two juveniles after they crossed the Interstate 20 ramp and before they made it onto the interstate.

“They left the parking lot, went across East Clay Street, across the Interstate 20 ramp and were caught going onto Interstate 20 in a grassy area,” Pace said. “The weapon that was in the GMC pickup truck when it was stolen was recovered in the Taurus the three individuals ran from.”

Rowell is charged with car theft and Pace said the two juveniles were released into the custody of their parents pending further investigation. Rowell and Emerson are both being held without bond pending an initial appearance.

Following the chase, sheriff’s officers recovered the Nissan Altima on Berryman Road where it had been abandoned near a mobile home park at the end of the road.

By the time officers arrived, the driver of the car had fled, Pace said.

“The keen eye of one of the victims, that is what led us to them,” Pace said. “The investigation is continuing. We are looking for other individuals, adult and juveniles. More arrests are imminent.”