NATCHEZ — A 10-minute car chase led to an arrest and five deputy-fired gunshots in Downtown Natchez Sunday.

At 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Natchez Police Department patrol officers saw a Ford F150 running stop signs on Commerce Street.

Police Chief Mike Mullins said the officers caught up with the driver on Canal Street and signaled him to pull over using blue lights and sirens.

When the driver, Marcus Lorenzo McDonald, 32, 19 S. Sunflower Road, did not pull over, the chase began.

At that point, sheriff’s deputies joined NPD officers in the pursuit.

McDonald turned on John R. Junkin Drive and crossed the Mississippi River Bridge into Vidalia.

After traveling approximately one mile, he turned around and crossed the bridge back into Natchez.

While in Vidalia, one Vidalia Police Department patrol car joined in the pursuit, as well.

From the bridge, McDonald traveled down John R. Junkin and, near the Natchez Mall, ran over stop sticks placed by Natchez police officers.

The sticks, which contain spikes, were successful in deflating the front right tire, Adams County Sheriff Ronny Brown said.

Mullins said this slowed the car down significantly but McDonald didn’t give up his flight.

He then turned onto Lower Woodville Road, where Mullins said he threw what officers presumed to be narcotics out of the passenger side window.

Mullins said they were unable to recover any narcotics.

McDonald continued on Lower Woodville until he turned right on River Terminal Road, he then turned right on Lewis Drive, then turned on Providence Road.

From Providence, he traveled back onto John R. Junkin which he took to Canal Street.

He was headed in the direction of Madison Street when sheriff’s deputies decided to take action to finally stop him.

Two deputies fired three shots at the vehicle and were successful in taking out one of the tires on the left hand side of the car.

Mullins said since McDonald was moving toward a residential area, it was imperative to stop him in whatever way possible.

“At that point, he’s driving a deadly weapon,” he said.

Brown agreed.

“We had to stop him,” he said.

The loss of two tires was still not a deterrent and McDonald pressed on, taking Madison Street up to Martin Luther King Jr. Street.

From Martin Luther, he turned left on St. Mary Street, then turned right on Union Street, then took another right onto Lincoln Street.

Sheriff’s deputies fired two more shots and took out the other tire on the left side of the car.

McDonald chugged on for a few more blocks, turning right onto Claiborne Street and then right on Martin Luther King Jr. Street.

In the 900 block of that street, he pulled over and ran into the bayou.

“When the officers were trying to get him to come out, he yelled, ‘Come and get me MF’s,’” Mullins said.

He resisted arrest and was finally disabled when a deputy used a taser gun to get him under control.

He was handcuffed and transported to NPD where he received charges of felony fleeing a law enforcement officer and unauthorized use of a vehicle in addition to reckless driving and no driver’s license.

Mullins said the unauthorized use charge was given because the truck did not belong to McDonald, it was a family member’s.

A total of two deputy cars and two police cars were involved, as was the VPD unit.

Mullins said the chase was not high speed, that McDonald slowed down at intersections and only got up to about 60 mph and that was when he was crossing the bridge.

“If it had been 100 mph, it would have been called off,” Mullins said, because at that point, the lives of police officers would have been endangered.

Though no bond has been set, Mullins said he hopes McDonald receives strict punishment.

“This individual endangered the lives of several police officers and many citizens,” he said. “He should pay a high price for his actions.”

Once NPD has charged and arraigned McDonald, he will be charged with aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer by ACSO.

McDonald has a criminal history.

“He is familiar with law enforcement,” Brown said.

In September 2007, he was indicted by a grand jury for burglary of a storehouse.

“He’s alleged to have driven a vehicle into a business and stolen an ATM machine,” Mullins said.

March 3, 2000, he was charged with armed robbery which was reduced to simple robbery.

He was sentenced to serve 10 years, but was released on parole after serving half that time.

He also has numerous misdemeanor charges, Brown said.

Brown and Mullins both agreed this was a good example of the police department and the sheriff’s office working together.

Though it initially began as the police department’s chase, Brown said his deputies were nearby and got the call to help out.

“We work fine together,

Brown said.