Media Release

For Immediate Distribution

Date of Release: June 29, 2020

Saturday, June 27, 2020, approximately 9:02 am, a Ridgeland Police officer observed a vehicle leaving
the parking lot of 2000 County Line Road with an expired license plate. The officer attempted to catch
the vehicle as the driver sped away at a high rate speed. The officer was not able to locate the fleeing
vehicle at that time. Within a few minutes, a citizen advised another officer in the area, the fleeing
vehicle pulled down a gravel private driveway off Old Canton Road near Lincolnshire Blvd. The
Ridgeland Police officer was able to observe the suspect vehicle exit the private drive at approximately
9:08 and drive south on Old Canton Road. As the officer attempted to catch the suspect vehicle by use
of overhead blue lights and siren, the vehicle made an abrupt turn into the Shell convenience store
located at the intersection of Pine Knoll Drive and Old Canton Road. The officer followed behind the
vehicle with emergency equipment activated, as the driver maneuvered his vehicle to a fuel pump. The
driver exited his vehicle and began to walk toward the front of the store. The Ridgeland Police officer
was exiting his vehicle at the same time and called for the driver to walk toward him. During this initial
contact and attempt to identify the driver, a fight ensued between the Ridgeland Police officer and the
driver of the vehicle. The driver was non-compliant to the directions of the officer and displayed
passive resistance to the officer’s presence. The resistance escalated to an active resistance level and
as the officer attempted to gain physical control, the two became engaged in a physical fight.
Throughout the brief fight, the driver choked the officer and his head was forced into a brick column
adjacent to a fuel pump. The officer drew his taser as the two separated and the driver began to flee
on foot. The Ridgeland PD officer discharged his taser in the direction of the driver but did not make
contact with him. Additional Ridgeland Police officers arrived on scene and after a very brief foot
chase, there was a second taser deployment by a backup officer. This deployment resulted in only one
contact probe striking the driver, which had no physical effect. The driver was taken into custody
without additional resistance on his part.

The Ridgeland Police officer sustained a large cut to his head due to the assault into the brick column,
which required six staples from a local medical clinic. The driver was taken to a local medical facility for
evaluation due to the taser probe and released without any injuries.

The driver is identified as Jaden Mikel Luckett, 20 yoa, from Jackson, MS. Luckett is currently being
held at the Madison County Detention Center and will make an initial court appearance on Monday,
June 29th at 2:00 pm on the charges of Expired License Plate, Careless Driving, No Proof of Insurance,
Disorderly Conduct-Failure to Comply, Resisting Arrest and Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement
Officer.

Any questions should be directed to the Office of the Chief of Police at 601-853-2014.

115 west school street • ridgeland, ms 39157

ph: 601.856.2121 • www.ridgelandms.org

Gene F. McGee, cmo - mayor • John R. Neal - chief of police

board of aldermen: D.I. Smith, cmo - at-large • Ken Heard, cmo - ward 1 • Chuck Gautier, cmo, mayor pro tempore - ward 2
Kevin Holder, cmo - ward 3 • Brian P. Ramsey, cmo - ward 4 • Scott Jones, cmo - ward 5 • Wesley Hamlin, cmo - ward 6