Louisiana State Police say a Saturday traffic stop on Interstate 20 east of Minden turned into a fugitive grab when troopers pulled over a vehicle investigators had tied to a drive-by shooting in Ridgeland, Mississippi. The driver, identified by authorities as 24-year-old Mississippi resident Jaterris C. Johnson, was arrested without incident and booked into Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center on an outstanding Ridgeland warrant alleging he fired into a dwelling. Troopers recovered the vehicle as evidence, and Johnson is awaiting extradition to Mississippi, according to investigators.
Troopers say they tracked the car after a BOLO
According to a Troop G news release posted by the Louisiana State Police, the Ridgeland Police Department issued a BOLO shortly before 12:45 p.m. on July 18 and asked law enforcement to be on the lookout for a vehicle reportedly linked to the shooting. Troops F and G coordinated along the interstate, and troopers ultimately stopped the car westbound on I-20 east of Minden, where they took the driver into custody without incident, according to the release.
Processing and evidence
As reported by KSLA, troopers identified the driver as 24-year-old Jaterris C. Johnson and transported him to Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center, where he was processed as a fugitive on an outstanding Ridgeland warrant for shooting into a home. KSLA reports that the vehicle tied to the Ridgeland inquiry was recovered and secured as evidence, pending processing by Ridgeland police. The Bayou Dorcheat facility serves as the Webster Parish detention center, according to the Louisiana Department of Corrections.
Legal process and next steps
State police say Johnson is awaiting extradition back to Mississippi, where the Ridgeland Police Department will handle the underlying drive-by shooting case, according to the Louisiana State Police release. The agency listed Trooper Eddie Thomas with public affairs as the contact for information about the arrest.
Cross-border policing in practice
The stop highlights the kind of routine cross-jurisdiction teamwork that kicks in when violent crime spills across state lines, with troopers able to act quickly on BOLO alerts from neighboring agencies. Ridgeland investigators will continue to lead the criminal investigation into the shooting itself and have asked anyone with information about the case to contact the department.
