A suspect was arrested Tuesday afternoon following a vehicle pursuit that began in St. Tammany Parish and crossed into neighboring parishes. The incident started shortly before 5 p.m., when a deputy from the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office spotted a white Ford Fiesta, which had been reported stolen earlier in the week, near Louisiana Highway 59 and Interstate 12.
When the deputy attempted to stop the car, the driver fled westbound on Interstate 12, leading law enforcement on a chase. During the pursuit, the suspect hit several law enforcement vehicles while trying to escape. Officers from both St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office and Louisiana State Police worked together to end the chase safely in Livingston Parish near the Holden exit. The car crashed, and authorities took the suspect into custody without further incident. No serious injuries were reported.
Sheriff Randy Smith commented on the situation: “This suspect showed a blatant disregard for the safety of our deputies, our law enforcement partners and everyone traveling on the roadway,” said Sheriff Randy Smith. “Thanks to the professionalism, restraint and teamwork between agencies, this dangerous situation was brought to a safe conclusion, and the individual responsible is now in custody.”
The investigation is ongoing.
Authorities identified the driver as Tiffany Howard of Ventress (DOB 10/9/84). She will be booked into St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center on multiple felony charges, including an outstanding warrant for theft of a motor vehicle.
