Columbus Police Officer Resigns After Crash Investigation Finds Him at Fault
A Columbus police officer has resigned following a high-profile crash that left a civilian with serious injuries and sparked questions about the department’s handling of the case.
Officer Jeremy Harris was responding to a call for assistance on July 16 when he sped through Columbus streets with his lights and sirens activated. Investigators later determined he was traveling nearly 78 miles per hour when he lost control of his police SUV and struck another vehicle at the intersection of 22nd Street South and College Street.
The crash seriously injured 23-year-old driver Devion Bankhead, who suffered a brain bleed and was airlifted to the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Four other passengers were also hospitalized. Harris escaped with only minor injuries.
Initially, Harris and a fellow officer claimed Bankhead caused the wreck by pulling into the intersection. Witnesses at the scene also backed that version of events. But the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office investigation—spanning more than 350 pages—ultimately found Harris at fault, citing reckless driving, excessive speed, and the fact that he was not wearing a seat belt. Body camera footage also showed Harris with only one hand on the wheel just before impact.
The case drew further scrutiny after it was revealed that while Bankhead was immediately tested for drugs and alcohol at the hospital, Harris was not. Hospital staff reported that Columbus police canceled his test, instructing that it would be conducted later at the jail. City officials later claimed “confusion” at the hospital caused the lapse, though Baptist Memorial Hospital publicly refuted that explanation, saying it followed proper procedures and attempted to administer the test. Harris eventually took a test the next day—outside the one-hour window required by city policy—and results were never provided to investigators.
The crash was not Harris’ first disciplinary issue. He had been suspended in 2024 after being arrested off duty for driving under the influence and speeding on Highway 69.
Harris submitted his resignation on August 18, which was formally accepted by the Columbus City Council the following day.
Bankhead has since been released from the hospital and has retained legal representation. The city has not publicly commented on potential litigation stemming from the incident.
