By Bonnie Culverhouse
A local man led police on a high-speed chase Friday that ended in his arrest.
Dmetrius Desean Richard, 25, of the 700 block of Elm Street, Minden, was arrested by Minden Police Friday night and charged with driving while intoxicated, aggravated flight, driving under suspension and resisting an officer.
Police Chief Elect Jared McIver said officers observed Richard’s vehicle traveling north on Lee Street at a high rate of speed.
“The vehicle sped up and turned right on Boland Street,” McIver said. “Then it ran two stop signs before turning left onto Cherry Street.”
McIver said officers initiated blue lights as they followed Richard on Theus, Searles and Chestnut streets, as he continued running stop signs along the way.
“The vehicle pulled into a driveway on Moore Street and turned off the headlights,” McIver said. “Officers gave verbal commands to roll down the window and exit the vehicle, but Richard did not comply.”
Once Richard finally exited the vehicle, Ofc. Reece Tewell and Lt. Joel Kendrick continued to give him verbal commands to get on his knees.
“The suspect would not comply,” McIver said. “Lt. Kendrick deployed his department-issued taser on Richard then told him to lay on his stomach. He continued to try and roll over, so Kendrick deployed his taser again to gain compliance.”
While officers were handcuffing and searching Richard, a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage was reportedly emitting from Richard’s person.
“Richard refused to follow commands even once they arrived at the police department,” McIver said. “It was to the point where they could not perform a field sobriety test. He also refused any and all tests, so he was placed in a holding cell to await transport to Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center.”
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
