For the second time in three weeks, a chase led by Pearl police has resulted in the death of an innocent bystander.
According to Pearl information officer, Greg Flynn, one of Pearl’s police officers pursued a silver sedan into Flowood, where police there joined the chase.
The pursuit concluded with the car being followed by authorities crashing into a motorcycle and wrecking near the Fleetway gas station by Winner’s Circle Park.
Rankin County coroner David Ruth confirmed the death of one man due to the crash.
The Flowood Police Department released the following statement on Sunday:
“Flowood Police Department is currently working on an accident at Old Fannin and Flowood Drive. Flowood Police Department was assisting The Pearl Police Department with a traffic stop and there was an accident at this intersection with a fatality. The Mississippi Highway Patrol Reconstruction Team is on the scene reconstructing the accident. As a result, traffic will be blocked at this intersection a few more hours. This investigation is still ongoing.”
The Pearl Police Department has issued the following statement:
“Pearl Police have arrested Ryan Irwin, 29 of Brandon, after a pursuit Sunday night. Irwin is charged with felony fleeing resulting in death. He is being held without bond in the Rankin County Detention. A Pearl Officer attempted to make a traffic stop on a 2009 Silver Infiniti near the intersection of Bierdeman Rd. and U.S. Hwy 80 at 6:30 p.m. Sunday evening. The vehicle took off at a high rate of speed westbound on Hwy. 80 and turned north on Hwy. 468/Flowood Drive. The Pearl officer continued pursuit and Flowood Police Department was notified and joined the pursuit in their city limits.
Irwin continued eastbound on Flowood Dr., crossing over Airport Rd. Irwin pulled the Infiniti into the parking lot behind the Academy Sports store on Flowood Dr. The Pearl officer pulled in where the vehicle had stopped, exited his patrol car and held Irwin at gunpoint ordering him to exit the vehicle. Irwin did not comply, backed his vehicle up and sped back out onto Flowood Dr. Flowood officers continued the pursuit a short distance when Irwin struck a motorcycle at the intersection of Old Fannin Rd. and Flowood Dr. The driver of the motorcycle was seriously injured and transported to Merit Health Hospital in Flowood where he died. Rankin County Coroner David Ruth will release the victim’s identity. After he was taken into custody, officers found Irwin was driving with a suspended license, no insurance and has felony convictions at the federal and state levels.
The Mississippi Highway Patrol is leading the investigation and reconstruction of the accident.”
