Suspect's condition must improve before questioning

CORINTH, Miss. - Police are waiting for a Tuscumbia man's condition to improve before they can question him about a Mississippi bank robbery.

Asa Nakeen Warren, 25, South Cave Street, is in serious condition in the intensive care unit at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo, according to hospital officials.

Corinth Police Chief David Lancaster said Warren was a passenger in a vehicle driven by Vida Byrd, 25, Washington Avenue, Tuscumbia, that crashed on U.S. 72 near Iuka. The wreck happened Tuesday. Byrd died from her injuries.

Warren and Byrd are suspects in a robbery that took place Tuesday night at SouthBank in Corinth.

Charges have not been filed against Warren, but Lancaster said he expects that to change.

"Because of his condition, we have not had a chance to talk with him, but once he improves we will be talking with him, and we do anticipate charging him" with the bank robbery, Lancaster said.

Authorities said Byrd was driving the 1998 Ford Explorer. She was thrown 75 feet from the vehicle when it crashed into the median on U.S. 72 just east of Mississippi 25. Emergency personnel at the scene said the SUV, which was traveling toward Alabama at a high rate of speed, ran into the median and flipped several times before coming to a rest in the westbound lane of U.S. 72.

Lancaster said Byrd swerved to miss stop sticks that police had deployed on the highway. He said Warren also was thrown from the vehicle and was flown from the scene to Tupelo.

The chief said police were trying to stop the SUV because Warren and Byrd were suspects in the bank robbery that took place just before 4:30 p.m. Tuesday on Harper Road, across from Walmart in Corinth. Lancaster said when an officer arrived at the bank, he confronted Warren, who jumped into the passenger side of the SUV driven by Byrd.

"When the SUV took off, she tried to run over the officer and he fired two shots, but neither hit the vehicle," Lancaster said.

A variety of law enforcement agencies, including the Mississippi Highway Patrol, Tishomingo County Sheriff's Office and the Iuka and Burnsville police departments aided the Corinth police department and were involved at various points in the chase.

Ray Hall, public affairs officer with the District 4 Mississippi Highway Patrol Office in New Albany, Miss., said neither Warren or Byrd were wearing seat belts.

Authorities would not disclose how much money was taken from the bank. Emergency personnel at the wreck scene said police found the money bags taken during the robbery inside the vehicle.

The FBI is working with Corinth Police on the bank robbery investigation.

Tom Smith can be reached at 740-5757 or tom.smith@TimesDaily.com.