Shreveport Man Arrested for Running From Cops With Drugs

In the early hours of May 28, at approximately 1:10 a.m., Shreveport police officers responded to a disorderly person call in the 3000 block of Lakeshore Drive. Upon arrival, officers observed the suspect's vehicle attempting to flee the scene.

Officers initiated a traffic stop, but the driver refused to comply, leading to a vehicle pursuit. The chase continued until the vehicle eventually stopped.

The driver, identified as 59-year-old Devon Thomas, was apprehended and taken into custody. Thomas has been charged with one count of aggravated flight from a police officer and one count of possession of a Schedule I narcotic.

The Shreveport Police Department remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of our community. We appreciate the cooperation and support of the public in helping us maintain law and order.

Present law defines the crime of aggravated flight from an officer as the intentional refusal of a driver to bring a vehicle to a stop or of an operator to bring a watercraft to a stop, under circumstances wherein human life is endangered, knowing that he has been given a visual and audible signal to stop by a police officer when the officer has reasonable grounds to believe that the driver has committed an offense.

Present law further requires that the signal be given by an emergency light and a siren on a vehicle marked as a police vehicle or marked as a police watercraft.

Proposed law amends present law to remove the requirement that the signal be given from a marked police vehicle or marked police watercraft.