Jackson Jambalaya

The Madison Police Department issued the following statement:


ON SEPTEMBER 07, 2015 AT APPROXIMATELY 5:50PM, THE MADISON POLICE DEPARTMENT RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE NATCHEZ TRACE PARK SERVICE CONCERNING THE WELFARE OF 41 YEAR OLD HAL TYRONE TAYLOR OF CLINTON, MS. IT WAS REPORTED THAT MR. TAYLOR HAD THREATENED TO COMMIT SUICIDE BY INJECTING HIMSELF WITH A LARGE AMOUNT OF INSULIN AND TAKING SEVERAL KLONOPIN. THE PARK SERVICE ALSO REPORTED THAT MR. TAYLOR HAD THREATENED TO SHOOT HIMSELF IF HE CAME IN CONTACT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS. IT WAS BELIEVED THAT HE WOULD BE ENROUTE TO A SUBDIVISION IN MADISON WHERE HE HAD INFORMED THE OCCUPANTS THAT HE WOULD BE DECEASED BY THE TIME HE REACHED THEM.

OFFICERS OF THE MADISON POLICE DEPARTMENT STAGED FIRE AND MEDICAL PERSONNEL NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF THE SUBDIVISION FOR MR. TAYLOR’S WELFARE. FIRE PERSONNEL LATER REPORTED THAT THEY HAD SPOTTED A VEHICLE MATCHING THE DESCRIPTION REPORTED EARLIER BY NATCHEZ TRACE PARK SERVICE.

OFFICERS OF THE MADISON POLICE DEPARTMENT LOCATED THE VEHICLE ON ST. AUGUSTINE DRIVE AND FOLLOWED THE VEHICLE SOUTH ONTO HWY 51 VERIFYING THAT THIS WAS IN FACT THE VEHICLE DRIVEN BY HAL TYRONE TAYLOR. A TRAFFIC STOP FOR HIS SAFETY WAS ATTEMPTED; HOWEVER, MR. TAYLOR FAILED TO YIELD FOR OFFICERS. HE INSTEAD INCREASED HIS SPEED AS HE TRAVELLED SOUTH ON HWY 51 APPROACHING THE CITY OF RIDGELAND.

OFFICERS NOTIFIED THE CITY OF RIDGELAND AS THEY ATTEMPTED TO MAINTAIN A VISUAL ON THE VEHICLE AS IT CONTINUED SOUTH ON HWY 51 APPROACHING THE INTERSECTION OF HWY 51 AND JACKSON STREET. THE VEHICLE TURNED WESTBOUND ON JACKSON STREET AND STRUCK A TRAFFIC POLE AT THE INTERSECTION OF SUNNYBROOK RD AND JACKSON STREET. 

MR. TAYLOR WAS CONSCIOUS AS RIDGELAND FIRE DEPARTMENT WORKED TO FREE HIM FROM THE VEHICLE. HE WAS TRANSPORTED TO UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER FOR HIS INJURIES AND OFFICERS OF THE MADISON POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL OBTAIN A SEARCH WARRANT FOR BLOOD ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE IF IN FACT HE WAS OPERATING THE VEHICLE WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL OR NARCOTICS.

NO OTHER VEHICLES OR INDIVIDUALS WERE INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT. THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES AND CHARGES ARE PENDING AWAITING TEST RESULTS.