State Police say a high-speed vehicle pursuit in St Mary Parish ended in a single-vehicle crash that killed two unrestrained passengers
Troopers say that on August 23, 2020, just after 12:30 a.m., they responded to a single-vehicle fatal crash on LA Highway 182 near Alice C Road. The crash claimed the life of 46-year-old Warren Joe Hines, Jr. and 17-year-old Markqel James, both of Franklin.
An investigation found that an officer with the Patterson Police Department attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle, driven by 39-year-old Joseph B. James of Franklin. James allegedly refused to stop and a pursuit ensued, reaching speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour, according to State Police.
Before reaching the city limits of Franklin, the vehicle ran off the road and struck a tree.
Hines and Markqel James were unrestrained passengers in the fleeing vehicle and were pronounced dead at the scene. Joseph James, who was also not restrained, was transported to a local hospital in critical condition.
State Police say the relation between the driver, Joseph James, and the passenger, Markqel James, is unknown.
A toxicology sample was obtained from James and will be submitted for analysis. The crash remains under investigation and charges are pending.
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