A Mississippi man apparently had more than getting away from police to worry about during a high-speed pursuit on September 19. Pearl Police say 29-year-old Zachary Brooks swallowed narcotics during the chase before intentionally ramming multiple patrol vehicles and eventually requiring a trip to the hospital.
The encounter began when Pearl Police officers attempted to stop a silver Toyota Corolla, but the driver refused to yield to their emergency lights and sirens. Police say the Corolla instead fled at a high rate of speed, prompting officers to pursue it.
At some point during the pursuit, officers performed a Tactical Vehicle Intervention, or TVI, to stop the Corolla. Police say Brooks then intentionally rammed multiple patrol vehicles, leaving two police units with functional damage.
The pursuit also resulted in a civilian vehicle colliding with the rear of a Pearl Police patrol unit, disabling both vehicles. The civilian suffered minor injuries and was transported by ambulance to Baptist Hospital, while police said the officer involved was not injured.
Driver Taken to Hospital After Swallowing Narcotics
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Brooks and a female passenger were eventually taken into custody, but Brooks’ next destination wasn’t immediately jail. Officers discovered that he had swallowed narcotics during the pursuit, according to Pearl Police, and he was transported to the University of Mississippi Medical Center.
The department did not identify what type or quantity of narcotics Brooks was suspected of swallowing or explain how officers determined he had ingested them. Police also did not release additional information about his treatment or condition following his arrival at the hospital.
Pearl Police identified no charges against the female passenger in its announcement and provided no additional information about her. The investigation remains ongoing, with the department saying no further information was available for release at the time of its post.
Please note that the image in the Pearl Police Department Facebook post about the incident is different from the one featured in the arrest report. For accuracy, the image used in the featured image is the one obtained from the Rankin County Jail website.
Police Discover Active Louisiana Warrant
The investigation also gave officers another reason to keep Brooks in custody beyond what happened during the pursuit. Pearl Police say they discovered he had an active NCIC warrant from Louisiana for aggravated battery and was subject to full extradition for a drug court violation.
Police listed charges against Brooks for felony fleeing, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, possession of paraphernalia and two counts of destruction of state property. He also received two seatbelt violations, while the Louisiana warrant was included in the department’s list of charges.
The department did not provide additional information about the Louisiana aggravated battery case or the underlying drug court matter. Nothing in the Pearl Police release establishes the outcome of those proceedings, and Brooks’ Mississippi charges likewise remain accusations rather than convictions.
Jail Records List 3 Mississippi Offenses
A Rankin County jail record shows Brooks was booked on September 19 at approximately 4:16 p.m., the same date as his arrest. The record identifies the Pearl Police Department as the arresting agency and lists his first court date as December 17, 2026.
The jail currently lists three offenses: felony fleeing in pursuit of a marked police car, felony aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer or public official, and felony malicious mischief. No bond amount is displayed alongside any of the three offenses in the available record.
That list is shorter than the information released by Pearl Police, which also mentions possession of paraphernalia, two seatbelt violations, two counts the department describes as destruction of state property, and the Louisiana warrant. The available jail information does not explain the difference between the two records, so each reflects what its respective source currently lists.