Man facing 3 aggravated assault charges after attempting to ram patrol cars with semi-truck

SMITH COUNTY, Miss. (WLBT) - An 18-wheeler driver is facing multiple felony assault charges after authorities say he repeatedly tried to ram patrol units head-on before leading deputies on a high-speed pursuit Monday night.

Columbus Taylor faces three counts of aggravated assault on law enforcement following the incident, which began around 8 p.m. as Smith County deputies were responding to an unrelated emergency call with lights and sirens activated.

According to the sheriff’s department, Taylor made three separate attempts to strike responding deputies head-on as he encountered their units individually on the highway. An uninvolved motorist was also nearly struck during the encounters.

While some units continued to the original emergency call, other deputies attempted to pull Taylor over. Investigators said Taylor refused to stop, sparking a 10-minute pursuit that reached speeds up to 80 mph.

The chase ended along Highway 37, where Taylor pulled over, ran into his home, and barricaded himself inside. Taylor’s wife and child, who were outside the home, assisted deputies in communicating with him. He was taken into custody without further incident.

Taylor was booked into the Smith County Jail. The case remains under investigation and will be presented to the District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.

“There is absolutely no excuse for intentionally placing the lives of law enforcement officers in danger, especially while they are responding to an emergency to help someone in need,” the department said in a statement. “Our deputies put themselves in harm’s way every day to serve and protect our community.”

Officials confirmed no serious injuries were reported and thanked the Taylorsville and Raleigh police departments for assisting during the chase and standoff.

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