BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) – An innocent bystander is dead after a traffic stop turned into a police chase just after midnight Wednesday on North Acadian Thruway.
Baton Rouge police officers were trying to pull over a suspect when the chase started.
Investigators said the crash left one dead and one seriously injured. According to BRPD, officers tried to pull over a 22-year-old driver in a Nissan Altima after a traffic violation but the driver refused to stop.
Police said the suspect hit a vehicle with Victor Duncan, 56, inside at the intersection of Fairfields Avenue and North Acadian Thruway. Duncan was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead from his injuries.
“Through the course of our investigation, we learned that that person has two felony warrants and there’s an ongoing domestic violence case that we’re currently working on that is related to the person, 22-year-old, that was fleeing the scene,” said L’Jean McKneely, a spokesperson for BRPD.
McKneely said they’re making sure officers did not violate any policies. The investigation is ongoing and the 22-year-old driver could face vehicular homicide charges on top of the two warrants he has.
Mayor-President Sharon Weston-Broome released a statement on the incident saying, “I have requested a full report from BRPD about what led to last night’s pursuit and what can be done to prevent future tragedies. Pursuits should only occur when absolutely necessary and they should not put the public at unnecessary risk. I ask everyone to please keep Mr. Duncan’s family and loved ones in their thoughts and prayers.”
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