Suspects in stolen car ran into swamp after police chase, sheriff says

LAPLACE, La. (WVUE) - A Texas man and his juvenile female passenger were arrested after running into a swamp following a police chase in a stolen car, according to officials in St. John Parish.

The ordeal began when deputies attempted to pull over a suspected stolen vehicle near the intersection of Belle Terre Boulevard and Madewood Drive in Laplace at around 1 p.m. on Thurs., March 16.

The driver, identified as Demaurien Taylor, 21, of Richland, Texas, reportedly refused to stop, and authorities say a brief high-speed pursuit ensued down Airline Highway and onto Jacob Drive.

Deputies say Taylor drove off the road into a pasture, stopped the vehicle, then ran into the swamp with a 15-year-old female from East Canton, Texas.

SWAT officers used a drone and located both subjects.

Video posted to Facebook shows deputies pulling Taylor from the water.

“Due to Taylor’s location and the logistics of getting him out of the swamp, SWAT officers utilized a high buoyancy swift water rescue vest to provide floatation across the canal,” Sheriff Mike Tregre said. “This provided the safest, most expedient method for getting him out of the water, off the street and into custody.”

The female was booked into jail on a count of resisting an officer by flight.

Taylor was booked with resisting an officer by flight, aggravated flight of an officer by vehicle, contributing to the delinquency of juveniles, and illegal possession of stolen things. He is being held on a $26,500 bond.

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