The Newton Police Department has arrested four individuals following an early morning fireworks theft and multi-agency pursuit that unfolded on June 30.
At approximately 2:00 a.m., Newton County E911 alerted Newton Police to a possible theft in progress at a fireworks stand on Eastside Drive. Officers arrived at the scene but didn’t see anyone. They continued to patrol the area.
Roughly an hour and a half later, around 3:30 a.m., officers observed two vehicles return to the scene. As law enforcement converged, both vehicles fled—one heading east on I-20 toward Meridian, and the other west on Highway 80 toward Hickory.
Newton Police quickly apprehended the suspects in the westbound vehicle. The eastbound suspects were later captured with the help of the Meridian Police Department and the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department.
Thanks to the quick coordination of the two agencies, most of the stolen fireworks merchandise has been recovered.
The following individuals have been taken into custody and face multiple charges:
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Jaquavion Hunter, 21, of Meridian, MS (pictured)
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Jeremiah Ward, 19, of Meridian, MS (pictured)
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Aaron Jones (not pictured)
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Jylin Carpenter (not pictured)
Interim Chief McKenzie Patrick praised the teamwork between agencies, stating:
“We will not tolerate this type of behavior in the City of Newton. The safety and security of our local businesses remains one of our forefront priorities. People from outside our community who believe they can come here to commit crimes—think again. I’m proud of our officers and grateful to our neighboring agencies for their support.”
This investigation remains ongoing, and additional charges may follow.
