Hammond man arrested following chase
PONCHATOULA — A Hammond man suspected of shoplifting was arrested after leading law enforcement authorities on a chase Thursday morning from Ponchatoula south on Interstate 55 to near LaPlace, authorities said.
Ponchatoula police were responding to a shoplifting complaint at a Dollar General store just after 8 a.m. when a man later identified as Murray Jackson attempted to
ram police cars before fleeing south on I-55, said Dawn Panepinto, a spokeswoman for Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Daniel Edwards.
Tangipahoa sheriff’s deputies called to assist in the pursuit took over from Ponchatoula officers near Manchac, Panepinto said in a news release.
The deputies were joined by Louisiana State Police and St. John Parish sheriff’s deputies, who were able to get Jackson to stop by deploying spike strips in the road, Panepinto said.
Jackson, 51, of Hammond, was booked into the St. John Parish Jail as a fugitive from Tangipahoa Parish, Panepinto said.
Upon Jackson’s return to Tangipahoa Parish, he faces prosecution on outstanding felony warrants and with being a fugitive from Ponchatoula police, Panepinto said.