Four people are under arrest after police say they fled a traffic stop and led officers on a chase down Hardy Street.

According to Hattiesburg Police Department, around 2 a.m. Sunday morning, an officer tried to stop a vehicle at Hardy Street and U.S. Highway 49 after seeing it driving carelessly and making several illegal turns.

Once officers initiated their emergency lights, the vehicle fled and began accelerating at a high rate of speed, continuing east on Hardy Street.

A pursuit was initiated once the driver did not yield to officers’ emergency lights. The driver sped through the intersections of Hardy Street and North 21st Avenue; Hardy Street and Park Avenue; Hardy Street and Hutchinson Avenue; and Hardy Street and Broad Street before wrecking on the roundabout at 2nd Avenue and Hardy.

Authorities say that’s when four males all exited the vehicle and began fleeing on foot. Officers in the area were able to catch all of the occupants of the vehicle near Corinne Street and 2nd Avenue. Police later learned that the vehicle had been reported stolen in Meridian.

The driver of the vehicle, Khamyzion Aladmin Myial Smith, 18, of Meridian, was arrested and booked into Forrest County Jail on the following charges:
▪️ Providing false information to a law enforcement officer
▪️ Receiving stolen property–value > $1000
▪️ Felony eluding law enforcement officer (reckless or willful disregard)

The other occupants, three juvenile males, were charged with one count of Possession of a Handgun by a minor and one count of Act of Delinquency and booked into the Forrest County Juvenile Detention.

This is an ongoing investigation, police say, and more information will be released once available.