45 years for carjacker who killed two in fiery crash – Judge Chaney

Deon Jamaal Hatten, 26, 2909 Booker St., Jackson, was sentenced to 45 years for carjacking, two counts of vehicular manslaughter and felony fleeing of an officer.

Deon Hatten

On Sunday morning, August 5, 2018, Riverwalk Casino security officers caught Hatten disabling video cameras in the casino’s parking deck. Eluding capture, Hatten ran and jumped from the second level of the parking garage into the wooded area just behind the garage. Casino security called the police.

While a Vicksburg Police Officer was getting information about the camera vandalism, Hatten pulled a woman out of a pickup truck at the adjacent casino, Lady Luck. Hatten then sped through the Lady Luck parking lot driving past the Vicksburg Police Officer at a high rate of speed. Hatten then went through the Riverwalk parking lot, flew up the hill and sped north on Warrenton Road.

The Vicksburg police officer took chase after the fleeing Hatten. The officer turned on his blue lights and left the casino in an attempt to catch up with Hatten.

Nearing Insterstate 20 on Warrenton Road, Hatten crashed into a vehicle with two occupants, Jared Brinner and Ron Hedrick. When the officer arrived at the scene of the wreck, the car containing Brinner and Hedrick was engulfed in flames.

Jared Brinner and Ron Hedrick were both killed in the accident.

Both Brinner and Hedrick were later declared dead at the scene by Warren County Coroner Doug Huskey. Hatten was taken to Merit Health River Region and then transferred to UMMC.

On June 28, 2019, Circuit Court Judge M. James Chaney Jr. sentenced Hatten to 45 years.