On 16/7, Columbus Police Department officer Jeremy Harris responded to a call regarding an arrest. He jumped into an SUV, activated his lights and siren, and sped off.
Harris's SUV then collided with another vehicle at an intersection. Both Harris and the other driver, Devion Bankhead, were taken to a local hospital. Harris was not seriously injured. Bankhead's car held 5 occupants: Bankhead, two other adults, a 15-year-old, and a 4-year-old. Bankhead suffered a severe head injury, and another passenger required hospitalization.
The Columbus Police Department handed over the investigation to the Lowndes County Sheriff's Office, which compiled a 365-page investigative report.
In the report, Harris told investigators that Bankhead pulled out in front of the patrol car, blaming Bankhead for the accident. Initial witnesses also told investigators that Bankhead had failed to yield.
However, investigators later determined Harris was at fault. They stated Harris was driving at speeds up to 124 km/h in a 48 km/h zone when he lost control.
The accident report and police narrative indicate that Harris's patrol car left its lane and struck Bankhead's vehicle. Investigators said Harris caused the accident by speeding, and he wasn't even wearing a seatbelt at the time of the collision.
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The accident scene on 16/7, with the police vehicle overturned in the middle of the road, while the other driver's car rests on the side of the road next to a damaged utility pole. Photo: WCBI |
Harris was supposed to be drug tested at the hospital, but the sheriff's office report states the Columbus Police Department canceled the test, informing hospital staff that police would conduct the test at the jail, rather than in the emergency room.
According to a Columbus city official, the emergency room staff member who routinely collected urine samples for testing had passed away, and the remaining staff were unsure of the procedure.
According to WTVA 9 News, Harris faced previous allegations of driving under the influence and speeding in a June 2024 investigation by the Mississippi Highway Patrol. Harris's sentence in that case was withheld, meaning no sentence was pronounced.
This current case remains pending. Immediately following the accident, police accused Bankhead of not having a driver's license or insurance.
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