Police: Tips lead to arrest in Friday shooting at car wash
PRAIRIEVILLE — A Gonzales-area man wanted in a Friday shooting at a car wash on La. 42 was arrested Monday night at a Denham Springs motel, Ascension Parish sheriff’s deputies reported Tuesday.
Matthew Paul “Smokey” Simon, 32, 39066 Vindez Road, Gonzales, was booked Tuesday into Ascension Parish Prison in Donaldsonville with six counts of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated criminal damage to property and illegal use of a firearm, deputies said in a news release.
Simon opened fire on a vehicle parked at Bay Wash Carwash in Prairieville about 6 p.m. Friday, but missed that vehicle, hitting instead a vehicle with three people inside traveling on La. 42, deputies said.
The intended target was an ex-boyfriend of Simon’s former girlfriend. Two other people were in the parked vehicle with the ex-boyfriend, deputies said.
Deputies notified the public Monday evening that they were looking for Simon. Chief Deputy Tony Bacala said Tuesday that two tips came in Monday after the public notification, one to Denham Springs police and another to Crime Stoppers, that led to Simon’s arrest.
Denham Springs police officers arrested Simon on Monday night. He was booked into Livingston Parish Detention Center as a fugitive and transferred into Ascension Parish custody on Tuesday, deputies said.
Bail had not been set for Simon as of Tuesday afternoon, deputies said.