Man who assaulted police gets 35 years

MADISON — A Jackson man received a sentence of 35 years in prison after he was convicted on charges related to a high-speed chase with law enforcement that began in the city last year, District Attorney Bubba Bramlett announced this week.

The man, Jonathan Santino Gray, 30, of Jackson pleaded guilty in Madison County Circuit Court to three counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, felony evasion, motor vehicle theft, and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced to serve 35 years in the custody of MDOC, according to Bramlett. 

“Let this case be a warning to anyone thinking of running through Madison or Rankin counties and using your vehicle as a weapon against our officers,” Bramlett said who is the DA for the district that comprises both counties. “We will not take that lightly and you will face serious prison time for your actions.” 

On September 28, 2022, Gray stole a work vehicle from a contractor in the Silverleaf subdivision, Bramlett said. 

“Officers from the Sheriff’s Department, Madison PD, Ridgeland PD, and the US Marshalls Task Force were all involved in the capture of this dangerous man,” Bramlett said. 

“Jonathan Gray had absolutely zero regard for anyone else as he sped down Highland Colony during the middle of the work day.”

Officers quickly located the vehicle in the city of Madison and attempted to stop Gray. According to Bramlett, he refused to stop — going over 90 miles per hour as he fled south on the Highland Colony Parkway until he entered the city of Ridgeland where he rammed several police vehicles in an attempt to further elude law enforcement. 

“He drove into oncoming traffic and caused property damage to both local business owners and the police department’s vehicle,” Bramlett said. 

As Gray changed directions and headed toward Ridgeland High School, officers made the decision to disable the vehicle before he could reach the school, Bramlett said. 

“When someone uses a vehicle to intentionally hit officers – whether they are in the cruisers or not – that is an aggravated assault by use of a deadly weapon,” Bramlett said. “It is a miracle that no one was injured in this matter and that officers were able to stop the evasion before it got any closer to the high school.”

Officers with the US Marshalls Service were able to both disable the vehicle and take Gray into custody. Officers reportedly found a 9 mm handgun located in Gray’s possession after he was taken into custody.