Handgun tossed from vehicle leads to high speed pursuit - Mercedes hits semi head-on

Report: On June 17th, 2026, at approximately 7:45 am, I, Trooper Collier Wright #574, observed a black Mercedes-Benz C300 traveling eastbound on Interstate 40 near the 265 mile marker. I attempted to run the tag, but the tag did not return from Mississippi. I pulled off from the shoulder, caught up to the vehicle, and confirmed the tag. I attempted to run the plate with a different year expiration, but was still unable to get a return on the vehicle. I initiated a traffic stop at the 272-mile marker. The vehicle took an unusually long time to pull to the shoulder. Once it had pulled to the shoulder, the driver kept his foot on the brake and left it in gear. I delayed exiting the vehicle, believing the vehicle may attempt to flee. After calling in the stop, I began exiting the vehicle and quickly glanced back at oncoming traffic as I exited. When I looked back, I saw something bounce on the shoulder of the road directly out from the passenger window. As I cautiously approached the vehicle, trying to see what was on the shoulder of the road and keep an eye out for any furtive movements from the driver, I observed the passenger window down. I approached the vehicle and saw an open box of gas station chicken in the passenger's seat, crumbs around the driver's mouth, and he was wiping his hands with a napkin. I asked him what was thrown out, and he advised that he didn't know what I was talking about. I asked him for his driver's license, which he provided. I informed him of my agency, my name, and the reason for the stop, then I asked for registration and proof of insurance. He advised that a friend of his just registered the vehicle from Mississippi, and he hadn't put the tags on here yet. I asked again for registration and insurance. He asked a female who was on speakerphone if the registration was in the vehicle, and she responded, "No." She further advised that the registered owner had sent her a picture of it, but there wasn't any in the vehicle. During this time, the driver had not attempted to locate any paperwork in the vehicle, which seemed odd. The driver did not seem to be nervous up to this point, but I was still unsure about what I had observed bouncing on the shoulder in the tall grass. As the driver was unable to provide any documentation on the vehicle, and the tag displayed did not return on the vehicle, I went back to my vehicle to grab my phone and take a picture of the vehicle's VIN. As I was walking back to my vehicle, I saw Sgt. Steven Roberts was staged approximately 50 yards behind my vehicle, and I gestured for him to join me on this stop. As I re-approached the vehicle, I decided to look on the shoulder of the road to make sure that it wasn't just a chicken bone that I had observed hit the shoulder. I visually checked to make sure the driver still had empty hands and walked down the shoulder until I located a pistol in the grass. The firearm was a Ruger LC9s with a black slide and a teal grip. I placed the firearm on the trunk of the vehicle to clear my hands while I began a Felony traffic stop. I made it to the driver's rear tail light, and the vehicle began to flee. The vehicle passed the pedestrian approximately 13' away, traveling at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour. The vehicle continued weaving through traffic and passing on the shoulder until Exit 10, where he exited at approximately 110 miles per hour onto the service road. He nearly struck an SUV on the driver's side, swerved to avoid, lost control, and ended up back on the interstate facing the wrong way. The vehicle accelerated hard to the point he burned tires, going the wrong way on the interstate. The vehicle made it approximately 15 yards before striking a semi head-on. The semi knocked the vehicle backwards into the rear of Sgt. Steve Roberts' vehicle. All three vehicles were disabled from the wreck. The Driver, Ronnie Hudson, was taken into custody without further incident. The firearm was recovered. Damages sustained from the accident were estimated at $20,000. Ronnie Hudson was charged with: 27-50-308(b)(1)(A) 1ST: RECKLESS DRIVING - 1ST OFFENSE - PHYSICAL INJURY 5-38-203(b)(3): CRIMINAL MISCHIEF - 1ST DEGREE (DAMAGE $5,000- $25,000), C FELONY 27-51-1405: LITTERING ON HIGHWAY - DESTRUCTIVE/INJURIOUS 5-13-204: AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, D FELONY 27-14-306: FICTITIOUS TAGS 27-22-104: NO LIABILITY INSURANCE 5-54-125(d)(3) 2023: FLEEING - FELONY - VEHICLE OR CONVEYANCE - SUBSTANTIAL DANGER OF DEATH, C FELONY 5-73-103(c)(1): POSSESS FIREARMS BY CERTAIN PERSONS, B FELONY 27-22-105: INADEQUATE INSURANCE DURING AN ACCIDENT 5-74-105: PROPERTY, UNAUTHORIZED USE OF, B FELONY 5-53-111(a), (b)(1): TAMPERING WITH PHYSICAL EVIDENCE - IMPAIR PROS OR DEF OF FELONY, D FELONY 00:00 - Thank You for Watching! 00:45 - Traffic Stop 01:57 - Gun tossed 03:17 - Gun found 03:28 - Pursuit 07:27 - Crash 08:47 - Pictures