A Ruston man faces an aggravated flight charge after leading Ruston police on an early morning chase that reached 100 mph.
Michael W. Pierce, 65, of Ruston, was arrested Aug. 2 by the Ruston Police Department.
According to an arrest affidavit, officers responded to the area of Cartwright and East Mississippi avenues in reference to an earlier call. Dispatch advised that a man was leaving a residence on Cartwright.
An officer traveling south on Neal Street spotted a gray Ford Focus matching the description near East Mississippi Avenue and identified the driver as Pierce. Pierce turned onto Neal Street and drove north toward U.S. 80.
The officer turned around and activated his overhead lights. Pierce accelerated, turned left onto U.S. 80 toward Highway 33 and then turned right onto Highway 33 heading north, picking up speed. The officer activated his siren and reached 90 mph on Highway 33.
According to the officer’s report, Pierce approached a red light at the South Service Road at about 100 mph and nearly struck another vehicle turning left off the service road. He continued through the next intersection at the north service road at the same speed.
Pierce then slowed and turned right onto Celebrity Drive, took a quick left onto Illinois Avenue and continued at a high rate of speed. He looped around to Ohio Avenue, where a second officer blocked the road at Celebrity Drive. Pierce drove around the officers, turned back onto Illinois Avenue and pulled into a driveway on Illinois Avenue as the vehicle’s motor began smoking.
Pierce put the vehicle in park and stepped out. An officer exited his patrol unit with his duty weapon drawn and ordered Pierce to stop. Officers placed him in handcuffs and advised him of his rights, which he said he understood.
Pierce was transported to the Lincoln Parish Detention Center and booked on counts of aggravated flight from an officer, running a stop sign, speeding, driving under suspension and no insurance. He was also booked on an outstanding warrant for driving under suspension.
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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