By John Howell Sr.

Angela Denise Flowers, 41, who led law enforcement officials on two bizarre chases Thursday following the display of a handgun inside a local bank, has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, exhibition of a weapon, carrying a concealed weapon and felony flight, Batesville Police Chief Tony Jones said.

Flowers, 116-C Cole Dr., Batesville, was arrested Thursday afternoon after officers used three vehicles as a “rolling roadblock” to stop Flowers as she fled east in the westbound lane of Highway 6 in Lafayette County.

Flowers first fled Batesville police Thursday morning when employees of Renasant Bank triggered an armed robbery alarm after she allegedly brandished a handgun in the bank at Perkins Lane and Bates Street. As officers swarmed the bank parking lot, she drove over the foot of Patrolman Billy Sossaman, injuring him slightly and prompting one of the aggravated assault charges.

The suspect then fled east with a phalanx of law enforcement vehicles in pursuit. Batesville officer Gray Nickels was attempting to overtake the suspect at an estimated speed of 90 miles an hour when she sideswiped his vehicle, prompting the second aggravated assault charge, Jones said.

Deputy Police Chief Don Province called off the pursuit. “Because of her reckless behavior, I didn’t feel justified to continue the pursuit,” he said.

Mississippi Bureau of Investigation agents were able to lure the suspect back to Panola County, but near the Panola/Lafayette County line she suspected the ruse and again fled east, this time in the westbound lane of Highway 6 with officers in pursuit.

Officers pursued Flowers for five to six miles.

“She ran 12 to 13 vehicles off the road,” the police chief said.

Jones said that three pursuing officers maneuvered vehicles — one in front, one behind and one on the suspect’s left — to execute the rolling roadblock which finally forced the suspect’s vehicle onto the right shoulder and to a stop, where she was arrested.

Arresting officers recovered a loaded nine millimeter, semi-automatic handgun with a round chambered for firing when they searched Flowers’ car, Jones said.

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is conducting a separate investigation and may file additional charges, Jones said.