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VIDALIA, La. — Multiple Miss Lou agencies assisted with the arrest of a “fleeing felon” on Friday who had managed to evade arrest Thursday afternoon by stealing a pickup truck and fleeing to Maplewood Drive in Natchez, authorities said.

Vidalia Police Department’s chief investigator Sam King confirmed Friday afternoon that Joshua McClain, who is a convicted felon on probation from the Mississippi Department of Corrections, had been arrested today by Natchez police with assistance from Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office’s narcotics task force and VPD officers.

He was picked up around 2:30 p.m. Friday on Maplewood Drive around the same location that police had recovered the stolen truck Thursday night, King said.

McClain faces charges of theft of a motor vehicle from CPSO and resisting an officer by flight, possession of schedule II methamphetamine and schedule IV Suboxone from VPD in addition to the Mississippi charges.

We want to thank NPD and CPSO for their assistance in this arrest,” King said Friday.

A news release posted by VPD earlier today said a vehicle in which McClain is believed to have been a passenger was stopped on Thursday at approximately 3:32 p.m. by Vidalia Police Lt. Clarence Hall Sr. for an expired license plate.

The vehicle pulled to the side of Martin L. King Avenue after blue lights were activated, however, as the driver was coming to a stop the front seat passenger hastily exited the vehicle and ran into the wood line.

The driver was identified as Jon Dale Adams Jr., commonly known as “Jonny Pig,” of Natchez. Adams was detained along with the rear seat passenger, Victor Curry of Vidalia

Officer Dartavious Bethley and Lt. Del’Marcus Johnson arrived and searched the woods for the man fleeing, King later identified as McClain.

While searching the vehicle, officers recovered approximately 2.9 grams of methamphetamine along with a wallet containing two suboxone strips. The vehicle was towed for no insurance and Adams and Curry were both arrested.

Adams was issued traffic citations for expired license plate, expired motor vehicle inspection sticker, no insurance and driving under suspension. He was also arrested for possession of schedule II (methamphetamine) and possession of schedule IV (Suboxone).

Curry was arrested for possession of schedule II (methamphetamine), possession of schedule IV (Suboxone) and Concordia Parish warrant for simple burglary.

As officers were finishing up at the traffic stop, a 911 caller reported seeing a man walking along Logan Sewell Road with no shirt or pants on, only wearing what appeared to be boxer briefs. Officers went to the area and saw the man run off again at the sight of the police. He managed to evade capture by running through the Town of Vidalia sewer treatment area towards Westside Drive.

At approximately 7:06 p.m., CPSO received a call about a stolen pickup truck from a residence on Westside Drive. The vehicle was eventually located by NPD on Maplewood Drive. NPD officers and Adams County Sheriff’s Office recovered and returned the vehicle to its rightful owner undamaged.

“We highly suspect the fleeing felon from our traffic stop is responsible for stealing the vehicle,” King said in the news release. “This is a testament of all agencies working together to combat crime in our communities. We thank Chief Joey Merrill, Chief Cal Green, Sheriff David Hedrick and Sheriff Travis Patten for allowing our departments to work towards the common goal of keeping our communities safe.”