Machete-wielding truck driver from Baton Rouge caused hours-long I-10 standoff in Mississippi
JACKSON COUNTY, MS - The man who shut down I-10 for hours Wednesday afternoon has been identified as a Baton Rouge truck driver.
WLOX reports Michael Troy Mack of Baton Rouge was arrested and booked on felony pursuit charges in Jackson County.
A sheriff’s office spokesperson said Mack had been operating the rig recklessly on the interstate in Alabama and deputies were able to stop the vehicle after it entered Mississippi. One of the vehicles he reportedly ran off the road was an ambulance.
Deputies said when the truck entered Mississippi, the driver initially stopped for deputies.
“He got out of the truck with a machete in his hand and came at the deputy, and the deputies backed off,” spokesperson Marcia Hill told the Associated Press. “The driver got back in his truck and took off.”
Eventually, officers were able to use spike strips to once again bring the truck to a stop on the interstate. Law enforcement spent hours trying to coax Mack out of the truck. After that failed, they used tear gas to incapacitate the driver and pull him from the vehicle.
Officials said Mack was compliant once he came face-to-face with officers.
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He is charged with driving under the influence, felony pursuit and two counts of aggravated assault. In addition those felony charges, he is also facing multiple misdemeanor charges, including resisting arrest, obstructing traffic, disturbing the peace, reckless driving, littering, and two counts of disorderly conduct.