By Pat Culverhouse
An attempted midnight flight from a Minden police officer has run a local man into a parish prison cell where he now faces a number of traffic- and alcohol-related charges.
Tyler Joseph Hartwell, 33, was taken into custody after he reportedly led MPD Officer Cody James on a high speed chase through residential areas around Talton St. just after midnight Friday.
Hartwell has been booked on numerous counts including aggravated flight from an officer, reckless operation, stop and yield sign violations and possession of alcoholic beverages in a motor vehicle and resisting an officer.
He is further charged with operating a vehicle while impaired (fourth offense), driving under suspension for certain offenses and as a fugitive from probation and parole. Hartwell is being held at Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center under a $51,503 bond.
Officer James reportedly was in his patrol unit at the intersection of Talton and Gilbert streets when he heard a vehicle approaching with its motor revving at a high RPM. When the Dodge Challenger passed his location at a high rate of speed in a posted 35 mph zone, he activated emergency lights and siren in an attempt to make a traffic stop.
A pursuit, often at speeds exceeding 60 mph in 25 mph zones, continued through adjoining Talton St. neighborhood streets before the vehicle finally came to a stop at a residence in the 800 block of Durwood St.
Hartwell, the alleged driver, exited the vehicle and fled on foot behind a nearby residence. Officer James reportedly caught the suspect as he attempted to jump a fence and successfully deployed his taser to secure the arrest.
During a subsequent search of the vehicle, the officer found an open bottle of alcohol with approximately three-quarters consumed and an open 12 oz. beer approximately one-half consumed.
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.