A midday police chase that started near South Claiborne Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard spilled across town Monday, ending with a driver ditching a vehicle and bolting on foot in New Orleans East. The pursuit wrapped up near Read Boulevard and Andover Street, where the suspect took off and left the car behind. Officers quickly threw up a perimeter and sent a drone into the air, and residents are being urged to steer clear of the area while the search plays out.
What police say
According to WDSU, the chase kicked off around 12:06 p.m. when troopers tried to pull over a vehicle at South Claiborne and Martin Luther King. Louisiana State Police followed the car until the driver abandoned it near Read Boulevard and Andover Street, at which point NOPD deployed a drone to help track the fleeing suspect. So far, authorities have not released a description of the person they are looking for and have reported no injuries tied to the incident.
State police role and recent pursuits
Troop NOLA and other state police units have been more visible in metro-area pursuits this year, a trend that has not gone unnoticed in New Orleans neighborhoods. In one February case, a wrong-way teen chase ended in a crash in the Lower Garden District and resulted in arrests. Incidents like that underscore how risky high-speed pursuits can be in busy parts of the city and help explain why officers lean on aerial tools and tight perimeter control when a suspect takes off on foot.
What neighbors should expect
Police are asking people to avoid the Read Boulevard and Andover Street corridor while officers and troopers search nearby blocks for the driver who ran from the abandoned vehicle. No additional information about the suspect or the circumstances of the chase has been released, according to WDSU. Anyone who might have seen something is urged to contact the New Orleans Police Department through the agency’s usual tip lines.
