A Warner Robins man arrested after fleeing from a Jones County check point in March entered a guilty plea to the resulting charges in Superior Court last week.
Jaxavier Ledarius Hicks, 25, was sentenced Sept. 18 to three years for the charge of fleeing or attempting to elude police officer and 10 years for possession firearm by convicted felon. The sentences will run consecutively for a total of 13 years with the first three years served in confinement. The remainder of sentence may be served on probation.
Hicks received credit for time served since his March 15 arrest.
A report of Hicks’ arrest by Jones County Sheriff Office Deputy Eric Reno stated the officer was working with multiple units at a checkpoint on Highway 49 and Bowen Hill Road March 14 when he heard multiple deputies yelling for a white Jeep to stop.
Reno said, as the vehicle approached him, he stepped in front of it, shining his light into inside of the vehicle. He saw a black male driving and yelled for him to stop.
Reno said he eventually stepped back after realizing he was at risk of being struck.
The deputy then ran to his patrol car and led the pursuit of the Jeep. While traveling northbound on Highway 49, Reno heard there was a child in the vehicle. He also saw an object thrown out of the Jeep, which slid across the roadway, throwing sparks.
The speeds in the chase topped 90 mph in 55 mph zones. Reno said he was told by Lt. Kasey Carr to get in front of the Jeep in order to slow it down. He was able to do that, and working together with Carr and Deputy Dan Ribeiro to block the vehicle in, the Jeep was stopped.
The chase was captured on Reno’s dash cam.
The driver was identified as Hicks and he was taken into custody. Reno said the four-year-old was visibly shaken and crying when he removed the child from the car. He kept the child under his care until the mother got to the scene.
Hicks was transported to the Jones County Law Enforcement Center. Reno said evidence was collected from the Jeep, including an iPhone, cash, debit cards, multiple photo IDs, a bottle of tequila, a 9mm pistol magazine and two large satchels wrapped in duct tape.
The deputy said it appeared the contents of the vehicle were for a prison drop. He was later notified the object thrown from the Jeep, a black AR-style firearm, had been located.
