Iowa Police Arrest Driver After Hit-And-Run in Construction Zone Crash Near J.I. Watson Elementary

By Calcasieu Staff

Published February 03, 2026

Iowa, La. — A 25-year-old Iowa woman was arrested Tuesday after a construction worker was reportedly struck in a hit-and-run crash near J.I. Watson Elementary in Iowa, authorities said.

According to the Iowa Police Department, officers were dispatched at approximately 7:40 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, to a call about a hit-and-run incident in a construction area near the school. Responding officers learned that a construction worker had been hit by a vehicle driven by an unknown woman who left the scene.

Later that same day, investigators said they were able to identify and locate the suspected driver as Jada Mitchell, 25, of Iowa, Louisiana. Police did not release additional details on how she was identified or exactly where she was found.

Mitchell was arrested and booked into the Calcasieu Parish Correctional Center on a list of charges under Louisiana law, including both traffic and drug-related offenses. According to Iowa Police, the charges are:

  • **LA R.S. 14:100 — Hit and Run
  • **LA R.S. 14:34 — Aggravated Battery
  • **LA R.S. 14:99 — Reckless Operation
  • **LA R.S. 32:415 — Driving Under Suspension
  • **LA R.S. 32:54 — Expired MVI
  • **LA R.S. 40:966 — Possession of Marijuana
  • **LA R.S. 40:1023C — Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.


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