PEARL, Miss. (WJTV) – A Pearl police car was struck by an intoxicated driver, according to investigators.
Pearl Police Chief Nick McLendon said officers conducted a traffic stop on Interstate 20 westbound near the U.S. Highway 49 exit around 7:45 p.m. on April 3, 2026.
Man airlifted after being shot in Jefferson County
While investigating, McLendon said a second officer was parked in the left lane in a marked patrol vehicle with its traffic directional signaling for approaching traffic to move to the right. The police chief said the vehicle was struck from the rear by a black Ford F-150 that was being driven by James Franklin Johnson, Jr., of Pelahatchie.
The Rankin County Sheriff’s Office was contacted to investigate the accident. After conducting an investigation, Johnson was arrested for driving under the influence (DUI). McLendon said Johnson was treated at the scene before being transported to the Rankin County Jail…