Chase ends with fatal wreck in Iberville Parish

GONZALES — A high-speed police chase that started with a theft at the Tanger Factory Outlet Center in Gonzales on Tuesday ended with a wreck in Iberville Parish that killed the two people fleeing authorities, a State Police spokesman said.

State Police troopers responded to the crash scene after Gonzales police notified troopers that one of that city’s officers had been involved in a pursuit on La. 30 after the theft from a store at Tanger, Trooper First Class Jared Sandifer said.

The crash happened around 11:15 a.m. on La. 30 east of La. 74 in St. Gabriel, Sandifer said.

Kevdrinka T. Williams, 25, of Baton Rouge, was trying to evade Gonzales police while driving a 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser west on La. 30, Sandifer said. At the same time, Warren Porta III, 34, of Gonzales, was driving a 2012 Toyota Tundra east on the highway.

Williams tried to pass several vehicles on the westbound shoulder of La. 30, but lost control of her vehicle, which crossed into the eastbound lane and struck Porta’s Tundra head-on, Sandifer said.

Williams and her passenger, Tremaine R. Wickem, 20, of New Orleans, died in the crash, Sandifer said. They were not wearing seat belts.

Porta and his front seat passenger, Bradley Nolan, 48, of Geismar, sustained moderate injuries, Sandifer said. He said both were wearing seat belts.

Troopers are unsure if Williams was impaired but have submitted a toxicology sample to the State Police Crime Lab for analysis, Sandifer said.

Gonzales Police Department spokesman Sgt. Steven Nethken said the incident began following a theft at the outlet mall that led to the chase.

“According to the city attorney, we’re going to have no comment because it’s still under investigation,” Nethken said.

Gonzales Police Chief Sherman Jackson spoke from the scene shortly after noon, saying he was “in the middle of (the investigation) right now” and offered no further comment. Later attempts to reach him Tuesday to comment on the police department’s pursuit policies were unsuccessful.

Tuesday’s high-speed chase was the second that ended in a fatality in the past three months involving Gonzales police.

In October, a chase ensued following a traffic stop on Airline Highway.

The driver of that vehicle, 24-year-old Joshua Davis, of Westwego, was killed after his vehicle struck a culvert, flipped twice and hit a large signpost in front of Ascension Baptist Church.

A passenger, 40-year-old Lerone Ursin, of Convent, also was killed in that crash.

Comments

1) Comment by Hello Baton Rouge - 19/12/2012

Thanks "BR is Ruined"... let me know when i'm free to shoplift and take refuge in my car, where I'll be untouchable by the long arm of the law! Try and stop me, i'll just take off LOL.. joke's on you.

2) Comment by BR is Ruined - 19/12/2012

i don't think anyone is questioning who is ultimately responsible for this incident, obviously the blame lies with the suspects. However, it is clearly INSANE to give officers free rein to pursue a suspect (a theft suspect at that!) to the point of endangering the lives of the public. By that logic, I suppose we should just shoot up a building full of hostages in order to take down the perpetrator, right? CitizensArrest is absolutely correct, we must pick our battles. NO MATTER the message it may send to criminals, the arrest is not worth the lives of innocent drivers. I guess some of you will just refuse to understand that right up until the point when it is your loved one who is injured/killed.

3) Comment by Costanza - 19/12/2012

Good riddance, Kevdrinka and Tremaine. I am glad the cops pursued these criminals, and it is not the cops' fault they endangered other lives when trying to escape for simple shoplifting. Glad no innocents were killed, and hope for a speedy recovery for two that were injured.

4) Comment by HerbF - 19/12/2012

I believe the police have to pursue the shoplifters. While I agree that there are instances where pursuit should be broken off, I am not sure at all that this is one of those instances. If we've learned anything from "broken glass" it is that we can NOT let these things go. And, I am so tired of this that I am actually HAPPY that the two thiefs died.

5) Comment by gumbo33 - 19/12/2012

It's good that the individuals in the truck were not killed. I agree that in these situations the police need to back off. Two innocent people could have been killed over some petty theft...That's unacceptable.

6) Comment by Being_Stupid - 19/12/2012

The only people to blame for this accident are the shoplifters that stole from a store, evaded police, drove on the wrong side of a major highway at high speed without their seat belts and killed themselves while almost killing somebody else.

7) Comment by BRmoderate - 19/12/2012

anyone who has ever driven hwy30 knows that there are two police substations in that general area. Between Gonzales PD, Iberville Sheriff, AND St. Gabriel PD...how did this chase last long enough to endanger the lives of others? There are numerous sections where this road could have been blocked leaving the suspects with nowhere to go...The suspects are at fault and I do not agree with law enforcement being sued over this matter but LE could have done a better job in this situation

8) Comment by CitizensArrest - 19/12/2012

County of Sacramento v. Lewis is a 14th Amendment case. While the dead suspects should certainly bear the lion's share of fault, the police will be held liable to some extent. The public utility of stopping a shoplifter does not justify endangering the public. From a legal standpoint, police are afforded immunity from civil liability under certain circumstances. Not knowing the facts I can't tell you if this is one of those scenarios.

9) Comment by nimby? - 19/12/2012

may as well give up , the bad guys have won . if they'd been caught it would be minor jail time and an early release , back on the streets , no remorse . why even bother ? here , take what you want , need a ride ?

10) Comment by JenniferW1126 - 19/12/2012

A HUGE part of the problem is that there really isn't punishment for running from the police. The charge is a "nothing" charge. When a criminal is charged with attempted murder or something similar, and 10 years is added to a sentence, fewer people will run. It's just so worth it to run, why wouldn't they?

11) Comment by louisisanared - 19/12/2012

By the way since we taxpayers pay the police. Our tax dollars will go to pay for the lawsuits that are settled.

12) Comment by CountryBoysCanSurvive - 19/12/2012

To ladyanderson my sometimes friend. I hate that another driver was involved, I am glad these thieving pieces of excrement are dead.

13) Comment by louisisanared - 19/12/2012

Hello. Let me give you an example. Let's say that your spouse, child, mother, father, sister, brother, or any relative got injured or killed because a police officer was chasing a shoplifter. Wouldn't you think this chase was unnecessary? It is common sense. Not going to argue with you, because you must not get it.

14) Comment by Hello Baton Rouge - 19/12/2012

louisianared, you stated that " Again the driver wouldn't have drove like she did, if police had not been chasing her". Are you basing that on the evidence that the driver acts like normal people do by walking into a store and buy things instead of stealing them?

15) Comment by louisisanared - 19/12/2012

The police should use some type of common sense when it comes to deciding which crime is worthy of a high speed chase. I do not think shop lifting at the Tanger Mall would deserve a high speed chase. And CitizensArrest is correct, police will be sued and have to pay. They will probably even pay the criminal's family. Would you want a child to be killed because a police officer decided to chase a shoplifter? Again the driver wouldn't have drove like she did, if police had not been chasing her. Police need to be taught self control when it comes to car chases.

16) Comment by LawyerDan65 - 19/12/2012

While the Courts have established potential liability on the juridsiction in high speed police pursuits, each case is handled on a fact specific basis. A blanket policy NOT to pursue suspects who reach a certain speed on a certain type of roadway is an invitation to all suspects to speed to evade capture. What is the most striking is that a shoplifter felt the impulse to place her own life and lives of others in danger in that way. This action seems indicative of a person who would have just as easily have killed a store clerk had she been caught in the store. The innocent bystanders will likely sue and get an awared. The families of the perpetrators in the vehicle may alstro try, but they should not prevail.

17) Comment by Hello Baton Rouge - 19/12/2012

So based on CitizensArrest comments, we should let all thieves/killers/rapists know that if they run the police won't chase them. Great plan! Just stay in you car and you're untouchable! Nevermind blaming the idiots who actually ran and crashed into the guy. They did nothing wrong by going the wrong way in traffic. This is all the fault of the agency who was doing their job. Did anyone ever think that these scum were running because they had warrants out for a homicide or something else? I'll bet not. Do you know if they also kidnapped a child from the mall? I'll bet not. Don't always assume that people run because of the reason that is reported. CitizensArrest, I hope its not you who one day gets a call from the police stating "sorry, we had the gunman who shot your father in site, but he refused to stop and as you know, we can't give chase anymore. We would have broadcast a description of his vehicle, but he probably wouldn't have stopped for the other cops either. Have a great day, sorry about you dad."

18) Comment by Being_Stupid - 19/12/2012

The Supreme Court, in County of Sacramento v. Lewis, has provided the clearest answer as to liability for police officers in this regard.

19) Comment by tradewinns - 18/12/2012

both sides are right and wrong. if thieves know the more reckless they drive the better chance to excape, they'll drive like maniacs to start. others are in danger either way. you cannot allow thieves to steal without reprecussions. the more lack enforcement, the higher the rate of thief. the only good thing about this article is the bad guys are the ones who died. no loss there for society (their family will feel different). the best chase is the shortest chase. if they are not stopping, ram them. don't just continue to follow them or try and set up a one of those stop sticks that flattens tires. equip all police units with front end guards and use them. when word gets around the cops don't play around, the bad guys will move on.

20) Comment by CitizensArrest - 18/12/2012

CA, law enforcement has protocol that dictates they abandon a chase like this when the public is in danger. Law enforcement failed here and they will get sued...and settle or lose. You people are missing the point. Is stealing okay? No. Is endangering the lives of innocent people to catch a thief okay? Again, no.

21) Comment by CountryAttorney - 18/12/2012

@Citizens: Where do you do business? I'd like to do a little "shopping" on your dime. You come across as pretty high and mighty, but if officers let criminals go then the crimes and their frequency get worse. It starts with a DVD player, but should police let bank robbers go just because the money is insured?! This was a very unfortunate accident, but the police did not cause this, the criminals did when they burglarized a store, ran and had extreme reckless disregard for the safety of themselves or others.

22) Comment by CitizensArrest - 18/12/2012

Being_Stupid, I'm going to go ahead and disagree with you. I'm sure you hear several things a day that are "stupider" than my factual statement that theft is reality and something most retailers budget and account for. Most of those things probably come out of your own mouth

23) Comment by BoiledCrabs - 18/12/2012

At least the crooks died. Hope the innocent weren't hurt too bad. Sounds like some cops need to learn some better tactics for stopping people like this. Whatever was stolen wasn't worth the injuries to the innocents. But I'm sure the cops will get sued big time and it will end up costing the taxpayers a ton of money.

24) Comment by Being_Stupid - 18/12/2012

The comment down below that says "Thievery is a part of doing business as a retailer." has got to be the stupidest comment I have ever read in my entire life. Yeah that is why I went in business. So other people could steal from me.

25) Comment by Woody - 18/12/2012

you are always good for a laugh, gomer

26) Comment by CitizensArrest - 18/12/2012

"I am just glad the theives cannot steal anymore." Because that is an affront to your conscience, but innocent people getting mowed down is acceptable collateral damage for catching or killing a thief. In addition to picking your battles, you should fight them wisely.

27) Comment by CitizensArrest - 18/12/2012

"it's about putting out of control people in jail and under control" At any costs...even your son getting paralyzed because he was in the wrong place when someone stole a DVD player. Whatever you say. Pick your battles.

28) Comment by ladyanderson - 18/12/2012

My prayers go out to the innocent victim of that wreck. I travel that highway several times a week, I am loss for words. I am just glad the theives cannot steal anymore.

29) Comment by Automobile - 18/12/2012

Don't you mean these people wanted to save themselves so bad they would kill anybody instead of being a human being. They did the killing all they had to do was stop. Not about the TV it's about putting out of control people in jail and under control.

30) Comment by CitizensArrest - 18/12/2012

Cops can chase them...but the chase needs to be abandoned when innocent people are in danger of being killed or seriously injured. Thievery is a part of doing business as a retailer. Being maimed by the actions of criminals and cowboy cops is not something anyone signs up for. But whatever. I guess getting that tv back trumps somebody that has nothing to do with it ever walking again.

31) Comment by foldgers - 18/12/2012

I am not saying I disagree with you, but are all business supposed to just let people steal and not let the cops chase after them? To me, the thieves were idiots for leading cops on a high speed chase over stolen insured property in the first place. Without police chasing criminals, every store would be robbed on a daily basis. Tragic ending for the people in the other car, not so much for the thieves. IMO

32) Comment by CitizensArrest - 18/12/2012

So one is dead and others are seriously injured because of a theft from the outlet mall? Maybe these John Waynes should learn to let things go and not endanger the lives of our citizens over insured property loss. Shame on you.