Following a recent trooper-involved shooting in Lafourche Parish, the Louisiana State Police's Force Investigation Unit (FIU) persists in unraveling the circumstances of the confrontation that unfolded on Monday. The ongoing probe led to the arrest of Jonah Parfait, 46, from Houma, according to an update from State Police. The traffic stop turned pursuit involved Parfait who, along with his passenger, was under investigation for illegal narcotics activity.
Parfait's attempt to flee in his 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor began on Bull Run Road in Terrebonne Parish and swiftly escalated into a chase through neighboring parishes, ending with Parfait ditching the vehicle in Bayou Lafourche where he was detained with assistance from the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office K-9 division—meanwhile his passenger, 31-year-old Darien Riffe of Houma, was fatally shot while running and producing a firearm which resulted in a Trooper firing their service weapon. The report explained that lifesaving efforts were attempted for Riffe but were ultimately unsuccessful, with Riffe being declared dead at the scene.
The high-speed chase had its casualties, not the least of which was the innocent driver of a vehicle struck by Parfait who sustained minor injuries and subsequently received care at a nearby hospital. Parfait himself came out of the incident with non-life threatening injuries, culminating in his arrest and charges that include aggravated flight from an officer, reckless operation of a vehicle, and resisting an officer, the State Police informed.
As the FIU continues to piece together this complex narrative, additional charges against Parfait may be considered, pending the ongoing investigation's final outcomes; the trooper's identity and detailed account of their use of force are to be disclosed in a Critical Incident Briefing Video LSP will release at an undisclosed future date, ensuring transparency and the community's need for answers.
