METAIRIE, La. — A police chase in Jefferson Parish Thursday morning ended in a car crashing into a Metairie preschool.
Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office says deputies spotted a car that had been reported stolen out of New Orleans. They attempted a traffic stop, but the driver sped off. Officers chased the truck to a dead end street on Metairie Ave and Hesper Ave.
The car smashed into a wall, which officers say is a sort of fence off to the side of the Little Red Schoolhouse.
The driver then hopped out and ran, leading officers on a foot chase. Minutes later he was arrested.
Officers say three other people, including an adult woman, a teenager and two toddlers were in the vehicle. They were released.
A large amount of narcotics and a gun was also found in the truck, according to deputies.
None of the school children were injured.
“We don’t want stuff like to happen anywhere, in any neighborhood. The bottom line is we’re going to do what we have to do to stop crime when we can. We don’t start vehicle pursuits, the criminals in the stolen cars who refuse to stop, start vehicle pursuits. We’re going to pursue them when its approporiate and within our policy,” JPSO Captain Jason Rivarde said.
This is the second car chase in Jefferson Parish in just 24 hours. Wednesday night a similar incident occurred, when officers chased a reported stolen vehicle near North Arnoult and South I-10 Service Road. The driver crashed into another car and two suspects got out of the car and ran. Officers say the two suspects were armed. One officer fired his gun at least once.
The car in Wednesday night’s chase was also reported stolen out of New Orleans.
“It doesn’t matter where it comes from, people who come into Jefferson Parish and commit crimes whether they live here or they don’t, we’re going to do the best we can to find them and stop them from doing what they’re doing, to prevent additional crimes from happening. Whether they live in New Orleans or they live here, if they want to commit crime here we’re going to do what we can to catch them and we’re well equipped and well able to do that,” Rivarde said.
The two suspects from Wednesday night’s chase have yet to be arrested.