LAPLACE, La. — Four men suspected of carjacking a vehicle in New Orleans were arrested in St. John Parish after leading deputies on a chase and then getting out of the car and running into a nearby marsh.
The suspects were apprehended with the help of the K-9 unit.
St. John police arrested four men: Vidal Ramon Pope, 21, and Reshon Cornelious Williams, 21, both of LaPlace, and Derrick Devon Rhinehart, 21, and Laryan Abdul Reed, 21, both of New Orleans, after they were reported to be riding in a vehicle that had been reported stolen in New Orleans. Pope, Reed, and Rhinehart are all convicted felons, according to the St. John's Parish Sheriff's Office.
Pope, Reed, and Rhinehart were charged with illegal possession of stolen things, illegal carrying of weapons with controlled dangerous substance; aggravated obstruction of a highway of commerce, aggravated flight from an officer by vehicle, possession of firearm/carrying concealed weapon by convicted felon.
Williams was charged with illegal possession of stolen thing, illegal carrying of weapons w/controlled dangerous substance, aggravated obstruction of a highway of commerce, aggravated flight from an officer by vehicle.
Many of the aforementioned charges listed carry a felony designation.
Police were alerted around 11 P.M. Thursday night of a vehicle that had been reported stolen in New Orleans. Officers located the vehicle in the area of U.S. 61 and East 22nd Street in LaPlace. After a lengthy chase that included a brief stint on I-10, the men abandoned the car in a grassy area and proceeded on foot.
The men were finally apprehended after police, with assistance from the K-9 unit, were able to locate the men in the marsh outside of LaPlace.
A bond has so far not been set for the four men.