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Plaquemine Police say pursuit was called off before vehicle ran through red light, killing one and hurting another

7 months 1 day 2 hours ago Saturday, April 13 2024 Apr 13, 2024 April 13, 2024 9:19 PM April 13, 2024 in News
Source: WBRZ

PORT ALLEN - A police chase that started along LA 1 in Plaquemine ended in a fatal crash that killed one person and seriously hurt another Saturday night. 

Plaquemine Police Chief Stephen Engolio said officers got a call around 7:45 p.m. that a man knocked out the window of his estranged girlfriend's car. State Police identified the man as 34-year-old Jonathan Williams. Chief Engolio said the call was transferred to the Iberville Parish Sheriff's Office, because the woman lived outside of Plaquemine city limits. 

Chief Engolio said there was an open case against Williams, as the victim had called a week prior to report that he had broken her windows while she was inside the city. 

Plaquemine Police officers saw Williams at 7:51 p.m. Saturday and he took off down LA 1, heading north. Officers put on lights and sirens while chasing the suspect, who had a passenger in his car. Troopers said "Williams refused to stop and began driving at a high rate of speed, and in a reckless manner, in an attempt to evade officers."

Chief Engolio said the shift sergeant told officers to terminate the chase due to increased traffic in the area seconds before Williams ran a red light and hit another car. 

A report by State Police said Williams T-boned a truck that was turning out of American Way to get onto LA 1. Williams and his passenger were not wearing seatbelts. Troopers said his vehicle made impact, turned, went off the road and flipped. 

Williams died at the scene. His passenger, who suffered serious injuries, was taken by AirMed to a hospital. Both the driver and the passenger in the other vehicle were wearing their seatbelts. The passenger suffered moderate injuries. 

Chief Engolio said the officer who was chasing Williams has been placed on administrative leave while an investigation is conducted. 

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