Fugitive Commits Suicide After Chase With Pontotoc Co. Authorities

A man’s nearly week long run from the law is now over. News 9 learned what led law enforcement to an armed fugitive in Pontotoc County. The chase even put a school on lockdown.

It all started at a cemetery just outside Ada when a man showed up checking on some workers and saw a suspicious vehicle. The person behind the wheel was fugitive Johnnie Hawkins, and he was armed and dangerous.

"He came out from behind the building with a gun and pointed a gun at him and ordered him to let him have the vehicle,” Pontotoc County Sheriff John Christian said.

Hawkins took the man's wallet and keys, and then sped off in the man's truck. During his five day run, Hawkins cut off his ankle monitor and stole his sister's gun. He was spotted once at a quick stop in town and hadn't been seen since until now.

"We notified OnStar and requested that they locate that vehicle for us,” Christian said.

"Central dispatch, this is Josie."

"My name is Bridget. I'm calling with OnStar, the vehicle location assistance team."

"Yes."

"I have one of your officers or deputy that's trying to work with a stolen vehicle that was from gunpoint."

Hawkins wandered some 30 miles around the county.

"I show that the vehicle is on County Road 3610, and that's going to be approaching County Road 1560 in Stonewall, Oklahoma,” OnStar said.

At one point, Hawkins got dangerously close to a school in Byng and forced a lockdown.

"I had officers set up to block those paths to the school area,” Christian said.

Authorities closed in on him.

"Central dispatch, Ada units, it is northbound 3590. Just north of County Road 1520,” OnStar directed to authorities.

The chase finally came to a halt.

"This subject had made statements that he's going to have a suicide by cop,” Christian said.

To protect law enforcement, an armored vehicle was called out to the scene.

"The subject in the vehicle pulled a gun and fired one round,” Christian said.

Hawkins killed himself, a nearly week long run now tragically over.

Hawkins had a warrant for his arrest for a parole violation. News 9 also spoke with the man he held up at gunpoint at the cemetery. He is okay and feels for the Hawkins’ family.