Sunday Morning in Bolivar

The calm of a Sunday morning in Bolivar was rocked on July 5, when a Mississippi man drove his car into the back of the Bolivar Police Department.
According to the report from the Bolivar Police Department, the incident began as the Bolivar Police Department was asked to investigate a suspicious person report in the rear parking lot of the Bolivar PD, which shares the space with the Bolivar First United Methodist Church.
As the officer approached the vehicle, the driver exited the parking lot, only to re-enter it and crash into the back of the building.
The report then describes what happened next.
“After a few minutes the subject put the car into reverse and backed up at a high rate of speed. Subject did a u-turn in the parking lot and was driving at a high rate of speed back and forth in the parking lot screaming ‘call the feds’. The subject stopped the car and officers were trying to get to him. Every time we tried to approach the vehicle, the subject wold start driving and continued to drive around in circles ignoring all commands by law enforcement. Subject stated several times that he had done nothing wrong and people were out to kill him.”
As the driver continued to avoid any attempts at direct contact with the officers by driving in circles if anyone approached, a stand-off that went on for at least 15 minutes ensued. Guns were drawn by the officers, but no shots were fired. Eventually, the driver, with a flattened front left tire from spike strips thrown down by the officers, left the parking lot and drove west on Market Street. A slow-speed chase ensued that ended when the driver attempted to cross a grassy area to reach Mecklinburg Drive, but was prevented from reaching the road due to the high bank of the ditch. (see photo above).
The officers subdued the subject with physical force and with the use of a taser. A pellet gun was found in the vehicle.
Mr. James Bass of Etta, Mississippi was charged with Aggravated Assault; Evading Arrest; Reckless Endangerment; Resisting Stop, Frisk, and Halt; and Felony Vandalism. He is currently being held at the Hardeman County Criminal Justice Complex. Etta’s motive is still under investigation.
The investigation of the incident was initially handled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), but was released back to the Bolivar Police Department after determining that the incident was not a hate-related crime.
The city released this statement on July 7, saying, “The City of Bolivar would like to thank the Hardeman County Sheriff’s Department and Whiteville Police Department for its assistance in apprehending the suspect. We would also like to thank the Federal Bureau of Investigation for its expeditious response to the incident and for its initial handling of the investigation.”