By Pat Culverhouse

An 18-wheeler driver hauling a honey of a load now finds himself in a pickle after failing to stop for police officers who pursued him on Interstate 20 from Bossier City to Webster Parish.

Andrei Melnitskii, who listed a Los Angeles, Calif. home address, reportedly was driving his big rig east on I-20 through a prohibited construction zone when Bossier City police officers attempted a traffic stop. According to officers, Melnitskii continued eastbound without coming to a stop despite the trailing police units displaying lights and sirens.

Bossier City police and Louisiana State Police units continued to follow the suspect until he reportedly pulled off the highway at the Goodwill Rd. exit. He was taken into custody and later returned to Bossier City.

Melnitskii reportedly was hauling numerous crates of bees on his rig’s trailer and allegedly told officers he could not stop because the bees would die if the rig stopped moving.  

According to the booking report, Melnitskii is charged with being a fugitive from the Bossier City Police Dept.