Man who reportedly stole car in Louisiana with 3-month-old child inside arrested in Mississippi

Published 5:34 pm Wednesday, November 15, 2023

Mississippi deputies today apprehended a Baton Rouge man wanted on six charges out of Ascension Parish, Louisiana, including kidnapping of a 3-month-old child.

Jonathan Jamal White, 29, of Baton Rouge, was wanted on one count of aggravated flight from an officer, one count of aggravated obstruction of a highway of commerce, one count of reckless operation of a vehicle, one count of cruelty to juveniles, one count no seat belt and one count violation of child passenger restraint system.

On Nov. 11, a Louisiana State Trooper spotted White, who was wanted by the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office for a kidnapping in progress from Donaldsonville, Louisiana, traveling in a red 2019 Honda Civic with a Texas license plate.

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White allegedly stole the vehicle, which had a woman’s three-month-old child inside and her cell phone. It

is not known if White had a relationship with the woman or is related to the child.

The trooper pursued White with lights and sirens from Louisiana 22 onto I-10 westbound. The trooper said White was switching lanes recklessly “with zero regard for the child’s life, who was unrestrained in the back seat of the vehicle, nor with any regard for the safety of the motoring public.”

The trooper said White evaded another trooper’s attempt to stop his vehicle by passing vehicles on the right shoulder of I-10 westbound at an extremely high rate of speed.

The troopers terminated the pursuit of White out of concern for the safety of the child inside White’s vehicle.

Adams County Sheriff Travis Patten said his office received a call from the Master Troop of the Criminal Division of the Louisiana State Police, who told him troopers had received information that the stolen car and White may be staying at White’s grandmother’s home on Maple Street in Natchez.

“They gave an address, but it was incorrect. However, we felt strongly that the individual was in this area because we know others in that area who have White’s last name,” Patten said.

Members of the ACSO Special Operations Group began searching the area of Maple Street, including looking in the area behind houses, to see if they could spot the car.

“They saw the car behind 643 Maple St. All units converged on the house and made contact with the owner of the home, who was very compliant in regards to allowing our units to enter the residence,” the sheriff said.

However, White was extremely combative.

“He said we were going to have to kill him to take him in. Our units, knowing how outnumbered he was and that he didn’t have a weapon, were hands-on and were able to take him into custody,” Patten said.

The sheriff said there were two children in the home, along with two other adults, but he said he did not think either child was the one in the car White fled with.

“The other adults in the house were very cooperative and did not interfere. The suspect had to be carried out of the residence and even kicked and spat at our officers,” Patten said. “The Master Trooper warned us that this guy was extremely aggressive and combative and he was that. I do appreciate the family not getting involved as the arrest was taking place.”

After arriving at the Adams County Jail, White signed his waiver of extradition and will be taken back to Louisiana as soon as officers arrive to transport him back to Ascension Parish.

“Our deputies did an outstanding job keeping their composure with this combative individual,” the sheriff said. “They told us he was actually in three different chases and got away from each, but he chose to hide out in the wrong county.”