WEST MONROE, La. — A West Monroe man is facing multiple charges after police say he stole a UTV before leading police on a short but high-speed chase.
On Saturday morning, the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office received a call stating that a man had just stolen an ATV in the 200 block of Tidwell Road. Before deputies could arrive at the scene, the owner of the ATV confronted the suspected thief, 30-year-old Justin Haynes, and reports state that Haynes then wrecked the ATV after driving off from the home.
Just before deputies arrived, Haynes started running on foot. Deputies say that when they caught up with Haynes in the 200 block of Waggoner Road, he allegedly stole a UTV. When Haynes attempted to ride off, he struck the back of an OPSO patrol vehicle and caused severe damage. To make matters worse, Haynes then took off again on the UTV and completely destroyed a fence by running over it. Reports state that Haynes then drove towards another OPSO patrol unit in an apparent attempt to run the officer off of the road.
A short chase spanning two miles and reaching speeds over 70 mph ensued in which deputies watched Haynes allegedly drive into oncoming traffic before eventually veering off of the road and hitting a mailbox on Tidwell Road.
As the chase neared the 200 block of Risher Road, deputies say that Haynes drove through another fence. Haynes then finally ditched the UTV and ran on foot to a storage building in the 100 block of Risher Road where deputies had him cornered. Haynes refused to come out after several requests from deputies, so an OPSO K-9 deputy was sent in to apprehend Haynes.
Haynes was finally arrested and then taken to the hospital to receive treatment for his dog-bite injuries.
Deputies noted in the arrest reports that while they were still at the crime scene, another call came in reporting an attempted tractor theft in the 100 block of Ingles Road. When a deputy arrived to that scene, he found a tractor stuck in the yard just a few hundred yards from where Haynes allegedly stole the ATV. When asked if he tried to take the tractor, Haynes nodded his head “yes.”
Haynes was later booked into the Ouachita Correctional Center on the following charges:
- Simple Criminal Damage to Property (4 counts)
- Theft of a Motor Vehicle (5 counts)
- Resisting an Officer
- Aggravated Flight from an Officer
- Aggravated Assault on a Peace Officer
Haynes’ bond has been set at $101,000.
