One Louisiana Juvenile Killed and One Injured After Fleeing From Authorities in Lake Charles

Lake Charles, Louisiana – One Louisiana juvenile was killed and another was injured after fleeing from authorities in Lake Charles.

A deputy from the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office was driving on Broad Street in Lake Charles on July 25, 2023, around 3:00 a.m. when he noticed a car moving on the road without any lights on.

When the officer turned on his lights and siren in an attempt to pull over a car, the driver aggressively sped off, running the red light at the crossroads of Broad Street and Highway 14. The officer paused at the junction until it was safe to continue. Once he carried on, he noticed the car had crashed less than half a mile further down Broad Street, near the intersection with 6th Avenue.

The 17-year-old male driver was declared dead at the location of the crash. The 15-year-old male passenger sustained serious, however non-fatal, injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital.

CPSO indicated that deputies found potential tools for burglary within the car, along with items that could possibly be stolen. They later found out that the car, which the 17-year-old was driving, had been stolen from a home on Liles Lane in Lake Charles that same morning.

The inquiry is still underway. Detective James Rathke, from CPSO VCIU, is spearheading this investigation case.

The Lake Charles Police Department is responsible for dealing with the crash in accordance with Louisiana RS 32:398. This statute stipulates that if an accident happens within a city’s boundaries, it is the duty of the respective city’s police department to manage the incident.

All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.