A Washington man is under arrest, accused of stealing two cars and leading police on two high-speed chases through several parishes.
Ethan Cole Ellis, 23,
has been booked with felony criminal damage to property, possession of firearms by a convicted felon, illegal possession of stolen things and aggravated flight from an officer.
St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz said that on Friday morning his deputies got a call about a burglary in the Grand Prairie area.
Deputies say Ellis was driving a stolen vehicle and was being chased by police. He abandoned the vehicle in a back yard, and broke into a home. The homeowner had a firearm and ran him out of the house, but not before Ellis allegedly grabbed the keys and stole the homeowner's car, Guidroz said.
Another police pursuit happened in Lafayette Parish, and the stolen vehicle was chased into the Arnaudville area, where it crashed on Green Road.
“Ellis is known by law enforcement, has caused numerous pursuits, and is known to be armed and dangerous. These actions represent a significant threat to the public at large and to the officers that may encounter them," the sheriff said. "The immediate, prudent actions of the deputies of the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office resulted in a severe threat stopped.”
