A stolen vehicle passing through Lincoln Parish was spotted by a Louisiana state trooper, but a lengthy pursuit followed by a foot chase were necessary to take the suspect into custody.
Jamaire Shadylir Simpson-Wright, 19, Vicksburg, Mississippi, was arrested October 17 at about 10:00 a.m. after he bailed out of his stolen vehicle and ran into the woods on Interstate 20.
A state trooper received information that a Kia Rio reported stolen in Fort Worth, Texas was suspected to be traveling east on Interstate 20. The trooper spotted the Kia as it passed through Ruston on I-20.
When the trooper maneuvered behind the Kia, the driver took the La. Highway 33 exit and stopped at a closed service station. When the trooper directed the driver to exit the vehicle, he instead re-entered I-20 and a pursuit ensued.
The pursuit continued approximately 15 miles before the suspect hit rire deflation devices deployed in front of the vehicle. The suspect continued about two more miles before pulling to the shoulder and a female passenger fell out onto the grass. The driver re-entered the Interstate and collided with the trooper, who then used his vehicle to push the suspect into the ditch.
The suspect then fled the vehicle, crossed both east- and westbound lanes of I-20 and entered the woods on the north side of the highway where he was taken into custody.
Simpson-Wright was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for illegal possession of stolen things and aggravated flight from an officer.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video 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.
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