Former Mississippi Coast official facing felony charge after incident during blaze
An 83-year-old is facing a felony charge after striking a firefighter with his vehicle and driving down a road that was closed by a forest fire, according to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.
Former Jackson County supervisor Tommy Broadnax is accused of simple assault on a firefighter after the Saturday afternoon incident on Stephen Earl Drive in the Latimer community.
Sheriff John Ledbetter said in a news release that, at the time of the incident, local firefighters, along with U.S. Forestry personnel, were actively working to contain and extinguish a forest fire in the area of Stephen Earl Drive. The roadway had been closed to ensure the safety of emergency personnel and the public.
According to Ledbetter, Broadnax became agitated after being advised that the road was closed. According to reports from the scene, Broadnax refused to comply with lawful orders given by first responders. A U.S. Forestry firefighter attempted to stop him and reiterated that the road was closed. Broadnax ignored the instructions and struck the firefighter with his vehicle, knocking her to the ground, before continuing down the roadway.
Broadnax was taken into custody without further incident. He has been charged with simple assault on a firefighter, which is a felony offense under Mississippi law.
Brodnax first became a county supervisor in 1982 and served four full terms, and one shorter term, as supervisor. Before that, he was a member of the Jackson County Board of Education for four years.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with additional information regarding this incident to contact the Sheriff’s Office at 228-769-3063.
This story was originally published March 30, 2026 at 5:00 AM.
