Vernon County Sheriff's Deputy Struck By Car, Shots Fired During Pursuit

Vernon County Sheriff Jason Mosher announced early Monday that an investigation involving a pursuit with Sheriff’s Deputies that lead to shots being fired early Saturday morning has been completed. According to a press release from the Sheriff’s Office, a Chevy Impala drove thru an intersection at Walnut and Osage in Nevada at a high rate of speed and failing to yield nearly struck a Sheriff’s Deputy who was forced to lock up his breaks and swerve to avoid hitting the vehicle. The Deputy then attempted to stop the vehicle driven by Jones but when the vehicle failed to stop, the deputy called the pursuit into dispatch.

The suspect continued to run from deputies into the west side of the county and at one point tried to turn its lights off and stop on a gravel road. The deputy ordered the suspect at gun point to get out of the vehicle, but the vehicle began driving towards the deputy. The deputy attempted to get out of the way but was side swiped and knocked down as the vehicle charged at him. The deputy fired shots at the vehicle after it hit him. The vehicle continued to flee and the deputy began pursuing the vehicle again. A short time later, the deputy notified dispatch that speeds had become too high and the deputy decided to terminate the pursuit.

Nevada Police Officers assisting in the investigation using the description of the driver and vehicle were able to locate the name of the person driving the Impala. The alleged driver was identified as Derrik R Jones of Moundville. Jones is believed to have left a local bar shortly before the pursuit began.

Jones was arrested at a rural county address Saturday afternoon and the vehicle was recovered. Sheriff Mosher said investigators from another county were called out to investigate as an independent agency because shots were fired. The Sheriff said this is a policy he put in place after taking office “any time shots are fired I want another agency to investigate it, even if we think the shooting was justified it needs to be investigated.”

A warrant for Jones was issued Sunday charging him with a Class A felony of Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer, along with felony charges of Armed Criminal Action, and Failure to Stop for an Emergency Vehicle. Jones is being held in the Vernon County Jail on a $100,000 cash only bond.