Update 2:35 p.m.———————————————————————————-
Police say that a standoff involving a truck driver armed with a machete along I-10 has ended and that the driver is now in custody.
Officers used tear gas to subdue the truck driver and were able to arrest him without incident.
No injuries have been reported.
The incident closed I-10 for approximately four hours, but all lanes reopened around 2 p.m.
Police are still investigating the incident and details about the truck driver’s motives are not yet clear.
Dash cam video of the truck driver threatening other vehicles leading up to the standoff has also emerged.
Original Report————————————————————————————-
Mississippi police have shut down a major interstate after what is believed to have started as a road rage incident involving two truck drivers has escalated.
Authorities have closed down both directions of I-10 in Jackson County for a police standoff with an armed truck driver, according to MyNBC15.
The Associated Press reported that the incident began when the truck driver was involved in a road rage dispute with another trucker near the Alabama/Mississippi border.
Jackson County Sheriff Mike Ezell said that the incident was “some kind of road rage” involving another semi truck driver. The nature of this dispute is still unclear.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office then reported that the suspect caused two crashes while driving recklessly on I-10 while still in Alabama. One of the vehicles involved was an ambulance.
BREAKING: Standoff on I-10 in MS started with an 18 wheeler driving recklessly hitting two vehicles in AL. Ambulance driver tells me he’s okay and the 18-wheeler was driving crazy. @mynbc15 pic.twitter.com/wX9wP7rCYY
— Nicole Fierro (@FierroNicole) January 30, 2019
Once the truck crossed into Mississippi, the Jackson County deputies began a pursuit.
The truck driver reportedly pulled over on the right shoulder of I-10 at mile marker 60 and exited his truck. He then threatened officers with a machete before getting back in the truck.
The incident has resulted in a standoff involving multiple agencies, including the Mississippi Department of Transportation and the Mississippi Highway Patrol. Officers are currently trying to coax the driver out of the truck.
Both directions of I-10 are shut down between Exits 57 and 61.
Miles long traffic backups have been reported.
MHP spokesperson Chase Elkins called the situation “very dangerous.”
This is a developing story.
