By Ellyn Couvillion
The Advocate, Baton Rouge, La.
BATON ROUGE — Louisiana State Police have released video of a car chase earlier this month that ended with an officer shooting at suspects who charged at him in their vehicle.
Warning: This video includes dramatic footage of a pursuit at high speeds, shows an officer firing at a vehicle and contains strong language.
The pursuit by officers with the state Department of Correction’s Capitol detail began at about 8:30 p.m. Nov. 3 when an officer attempted to stop a Chevrolet Suburban for a traffic violation on Chippewa Street, State Police said in a news release.
The driver refused to stop, setting off a pursuit that lasted about 20 minutes and reached speeds of more than 100 mph on the interstate and through neighborhoods before the driver crashed into a pole.
The driver then backed up and sped toward an officer, who shot at the vehicle, striking two of the three occupants.
The driver of the Suburban, Tyler Pugh of Baton Rouge , suffered minor injuries and was released from the hospital before being booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on outstanding warrants.
Pugh was later booked by State Police on additional counts of aggravated flight from an officer, aggravated assault with a motor vehicle upon a police officer and speeding.
The other suspect was seriously injured by gunfire and remains hospitalized, said State Police, which is investigating the shooting.
Pugh, who was wearing an ankle monitor during the incident, was traveling 56 mph in a 40 mph zone on Chippewa Street, when the first officer put on his unit’s police lights and siren and began following him to make a traffic stop, the video shows.
Pugh never stopped. At one point, he slowed down, then sped off to enter Interstate 110 northbound at high speeds.
A second officer took lead in the pursuit at that point.
Minutes later, Pugh had begun heading south, taking the College Drive exit off Interstate 10 and running a red light at one point.
From Bawell Street, he traveled through several neighborhoods, veering off through vacant lots at times, before crashing into a light pole in the 2300 block of Brownlee Street.
The officer was out of his unit when Pugh suddenly accelerated backward while turning, crashing into the front of the officer’s unit.
Pugh continued in reverse until he hit a tree, then sped toward the officer, who fired several shots at the vehicle.
Pugh’s vehicle struck another tree, then overturned.
The officer with the Department of Public Safety has been placed on paid administrative leave.
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