A Slidell-area man crashed his vehicle after trying to flee from a traffic stop Monday (May 15) evening near Slidell.
Shortly before 6:15 p.m. Monday, a St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s deputy initiated a traffic stop on a dark colored Infinity SUV for no license plate being displayed on I-10 near Slidell. The vehicle failed to immediately pull over and exited at Fremaux Avenue. The vehicle came to a stop on Hwy 190E, and the STPSO deputy continued with the traffic stop.
As the passenger of the vehicle reached into the vehicle’s glove box to retrieve paperwork, the deputy observed a firearm, and the passenger was removed from the vehicle for the deputy’s safety. After securing the passenger and firearm in his unit, the deputy re-approached the vehicle. However, as he was approaching, the driver fled east on 190E in the vehicle. The vehicle made an erratic U-turn on 190E and fled West on Hwy 190E at a high rate of speed. As the vehicle approached the intersection of Hwy 190E and I-10 the suspect vehicle ran the red light and struck another vehicle. The rear seat passenger in the Infinity SUV was ejected from the vehicle and was transported to an area hospital by emergency medical personnel.
The driver, Charles Jones (DOB 11/10/2003) of Slidell, and the front seat passenger, Frederick Price (DOB 12/14/2002) of Slidell, were taken into custody.
At no time was the vehicle being pursued by deputies. The vehicle crashed prior to any secondary units arriving and the deputy stayed with Price at his unit while he provided responding deputies with descriptions and updates.
Jones was arrested and booked into the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center on the following charges:
L.R.S. 14:108 Resisting arrest
L.R.S. 40:966C Simple possession of SCH I CDS (marijuana)
L.R.S. 40:969C Simple possession of SCH IV CDS
L.R.S. 40:1023 Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
L.R.S. 14:99 Reckless Driving
L.R.S. 32:51 No Registration
Price was arrested and booked into the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center on one count of
40:966C Simple possession of SCH I CDS (marijuana).
Three firearms, illegal narcotics, ski masks, blank checks and burglary tools were located inside the vehicle. The sole occupant of the other vehicle was not injured.
“Once again, trying to elude arrest only resulted in placing innocent individuals in danger and more charges for the perpetrator,” Sheriff Randy Smith said. “Thankfully no innocent civilians nor deputies were injured during this incident.”