St. Martinville Man Opens Fire During High-Speed Police Chase
(KPEL News) - Officials with the St. Martin Parish Sheriff's Office say they have arrested a St. Martinville man on attempted murder charges after he failed to stop his vehicle after a traffic violation.
He was also accused of leading police on a crazy police chase in three parishes.
According to St. Martin Parish Sheriff Becket Breaux, a deputy attempting to make a traffic stop ended up having to give chase to the driver who would not pull over when he hit his lights and sirens.
Details Of The Police Chase Incident That Began In St. Martin Parish
Sheriff Breaux says a deputy on routine patrol attempted to stop a vehicle after the driver did not stop at a stop sign at Saltmine Highway and Mills Highway in Breaux Bridge.
The 25-year-old male driver did not stop. Breaux says the driver took off down the roadway.
The deputy began chasing the suspect, and before everything was over, the driver had driven through three parishes: St. Martin, Iberia, and Lafayette.
More Details Emerge About A St. Martin Parish Police Chase
The police chase began at around 2:30 in the afternoon on Monday, September 8, when a deputy attempted to stop the driver, Brandon Keith Haviland, of St. Martinville.
The deputy started to give chase, and Haviland, Sheriff Breaux says, continued to drive at high rates of speed while firing a gun at the deputy's vehicle.
While the chase continued, Breaux adds, Haviland tried to ram his car into other law enforcement vehicles that had joined in the chase.
As part of the chase, the suspect ended up driving near an Iberia Parish school before crashing his vehicle.
He crashed his vehicle at Sugar Oaks Road and Blue Haven Drive.
Officials Explain Why The Suspect Fled
Sheriff Breaux says the reason the suspect fled is that, before the deputy tried to make the traffic stop, there were allegations that Haviland was involved in another situation.
According to officials, Haviland was allegedly involved in a disturbance at a home in the 1200 block of Hebert Avenue in Breaux Bridge.
Breaux says Haviland is also accused of making "an unauthorized entry" into that same house the day before the police chase. He did not break in, but he did go into the house without permission
The Suspect Was Booked On A Variety Of Charges
Haviland was booked on the following charges for the police chase:
- LA R.S. 14:27/14:30-Attempted First-Degree Murder-4 Counts
- LA R.S. 32:123B-Ignoring Stop Signs
- LA R.S. 32:79-Improper Lane Usage
- LA R.S. 32:232-Traffic Control Signals-Red Light
- LA R.S. 14:1081C-Aggravated Flight From An Officer
Haviland was booked on the following charges for entering the home on September 7:
- LA R.S. 14:63-Criminal Trespassing
- LA R.S. 14:62.3-Unauthorized Entry of an Inhabited Dwelling
Haviland was booked on the following charges for the disturbance at the home on September 8:
- LA R.S. 14:64-Criminal Trespassing
- LA R.S. 14:55-Aggravated Criminal Damage to Property
- LA R.S. 14:40.2-Stalking
Haviland was booked into the St. Martin Parish Correctional Center. According to officials, as of September 9, no bong had been set in connection to the charges.
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