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Arrest made in deadly ‘road rage’ incident; another suspect sought

Posted at 1:32 AM, Jun 25, 2018
and last updated 2018-06-25 02:32:02-04

One man has been arrested in connection with a shooting that left one person dead following an alleged road rage incident in Crowley Saturday night. 

Crowley police are identifying 20-year-old Byron DePaul Francis, Jr., of Crowley, as the shooter. 

Officers responded to the shooting at the I-10 West Exit 82 off-ramp at 10:13 p.m. 

According to reports, Francis and the victim were involved in a game of cat and mouse on the interstate before they both exited the interstate via the off-ramp.

Police say Francis and victim then got into an altercation, and Francis allegedly shot the victim before driving off. 

The victim was transferred to the hospital where he later died. The body has since been turned over to the coroner’s office. The identity has not yet been released. 

Police, with the help of Acadia Parish Sheriff’s deputies, were able to track down Francis at his home by gaining information on his vehicle. Police Chief Jimmy Broussard says Francis fit the description of the shooter, and additional evidence also lead to his arrest.

Francis was booked into the Acadia Parish Jail on one count of second-degree homicide. He is currently awaiting bond. 

Police are looking for a second suspect that was said to be a passenger in Francis’ vehicle at the time of the shooting. 

Anyone with information is asked to call the Crowley Police Investigation Division at 788-4114.

Regarding Francis’ arrest, Chief Broussard said, "Once again, the assistance of the public was paramount in the quick solution to this tragic event. Through statements and information, and collaboration with not only the Acadia Parish Sheriff Department but also local Acadiana businesses, we were able to make a solid arrest in just hours after the homicide. I applaud our community and our fellow law enforcement officers for working so diligently together to protect and defend our community."