Drunk Eunice Man Arrested After High Speed Pursuit

EUNICE, La. (KPEL) -- Eunice Police have arrested a man on drug, gun, and other charges following a high-speed pursuit early Thursday morning.

Deputy Chief Varden Guillory says police clocked 22-year-old Matthew Martel at 62 mph in a 35 mph zone while he was driving his pickup truck on Hwy. 190.

Guillory says the officer tried to pull him over while still inside the city limits, but Martel instead accelerated to 80 mph. The pursuit ended at Martel's home outside of Eunice.

Guillory says Martel was "highly intoxicated" and was immediately arrested. Inside his truck, officers found marijuana and two fully loaded rifles.

Martel was taken to the Eunice City Jail for booking. Guillory says he refused to submit to provide a breath sample, so he was "secured to an intake bench with handcuffs on his wrists and shackles on both ankles."

Guillory says Martel became "irate and ripped the bolted bench from the wall." Martel was placed alone in a cell until he calmed down enough to be booked.

Martel was charged with speeding, improper lane usage, reckless operation, driving without headlights, criminal damage to property, aggravated flight from an officer, resisting an officer with force or violence, second offense DWI, possession of marijuana, and possession of a firearm in the presence of a controlled substance.