A Crowley man has been arrested in connection with a Sunday hit-and-run that left a 10-year-old child in critical condition.
Justin Duhon, age 35 of Crowley was booked with Felony Hit and Run, Chief Jimmy Broussard said.
The accident happened Sunday at about 2 p.m. on East Spruce Street. The child is listed in ciritical but stable condition in a Baton Rouge hospital.
Statements taken from the scene and witnesses indicated that a silver "dually" pickup truck with silver hub caps and a loud engine was around the area of the incident at the time of the hit and run. The vehicle in question was submitted as the alleged suspect vehicle.
Later in the evening, State Police Troop B (New Orleans Region) received a call from a Crowley resident stating that she was on the phone with a female who was in the alleged truck, stating that she was present when the hit and run took place and that she was still in the vehicle. She named the suspect involved, which corresponded to witness reports.
Crowley Police obtained a warrant for Duhon and he was arrested in Orleans Parish, where he is awaitin extradition back to Acadia Parish.
"It was the public who helped us get this man in custody," stated Crowley Police Chief Jimmy Broussard. "From the onset of the incident, we were receiving a ton of phone calls from area residents and witnesses, with information and possible videos from their residences which would help us to identify the suspect. Of course the statement of the female in the vehicle was the definitive moment in this case, but had not the person she was on the phone with had the forethought to contact State Police to give this information which led State Police to contact us and confirmed information we had been given by the public prior to the call, this would have been a difficult case to possibly solve."
Broussard said community involvement is critical to solving crimes quickly.
"When the public gets involved, when they will stand up and say 'we're not going to stand for this' is when we make a difference in our community. The attitude of "oh well, that's the police officers job, I'm not getting involved" does nothing but allow crime to fester in a community," he said. "When the public stands up, just like they did for this situation and many others we have had in our community, is when we, as a community, start to take our community back. I thank all of those who in any way helped or assisted in this effort, as well as those who have become a voice in starting to make our city a safe community."
