Car in police pursue that ended in three deaths was stolen, had stolen items inwards: NOPD
Gallery: NOPD and LSP hold presser to discuss deadly police pursue that left 2-year-old dead
NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
The car that led Louisiana State Police troopers on a harshly 7-mile pursue across Fresh Orleans on Wednesday (June 28) and ended in two deaths and a suicide was stolen, Fresh Orleans police said Friday. The car also contained a handful of items, including two guns, that had been reported stolen from various places around the city, NOPD Deputy Chief Paul Noel said.
The pursue embarked about Two:30 p.m. Wednesday at the edge of the French Quarter, continued on Interstate ten and ended when the 21-year-old driver lost control and crashed on Chef Menteur Highway near Lonely Oak Drive.
Ivory Washington, Two, and 25-year-old Brandon Harold were killed after being thrown from the car, authorities have said. Ivory’s father, Kenneth Davis, was driving the car, police said, and fatally shot himself after the crash.
"Our hearts and prayers go out to the families. We know the family is grieving," Noel said before briefing reporters on the stolen car and items. "This is not the outcome that any of us desired."
Trooper Very first Class Melissa Matey, a spokeswoman for the State Police, reiterated during a joint press conference at NOPD headquarters on Friday that troopers could not see that there was an adult passenger or the toddler in the car as they chased it.
"Anytime that there’s a child involved it doesn’t just hurt the family and the community. We are touched by that," she said. "It’s part of our jobs and we deal with it on a daily basis."
Louisiana State Police’s vehicle pursuit policy takes the presence of passengers in the fleeing vehicle into consideration when determining whether to begin a pursue and whether proceed it, Matey said. The agency declined an open records request seeking a copy of the policy, telling public release would hinder its effectiveness.
Maj. Doug Cain, a State Police spokesman, said Friday the agency would not say if the policy specifically addresses the presence of children in fleeing vehicles. The agency did not want to expose its tactics, he said, adding, "The last thing we want is the bad guys to know (when troopers are) not going to pursue."
The stolen items in the car included two guns, two wallets and two laptops. Including the car, the stolen items were taken from different parts of the city in five different police districts, Noel said. He said the car was stolen from NOPD’s 3rd District, which polices Lakeview, parts of the Lakefront and Gentilly and other areas. There also was an air rifle in the car, the deputy chief said.
Noel confirmed the white Honda Accord and license plate involved in the police pursue and crash was the same one NOPD mentioned in a June twenty press release about car burglaries in NOPD’s 2nd District, which polices parts of Uptown, the Carrollton and Hollygrove. A suspect named in that press release, Robert Hudson, is still dreamed by police in connection to the robberies, Noel said.
The car and license plate were stolen separately, NOPD spokesman Beau Tidwell said. The stolen license plate is what prompted troopers to begin the pursue, Matey said on Wednesday and again on Friday.
At the time of Davis’ death, he had an active warrant out for his arrest, Noel said. The unspecified warrant was of Jefferson Parish, Tidwell said, and was entered a multijurisdictional warrant database in October 2016.
NOPD’s vehicle pursuit does not permit officers to pursue a fleeing car unless the fleeing suspect is suspected of having committed a crime of violence. Based on the department’s written policy, a stolen license plate would not have appeared to have merited a vehicle pursuit by Fresh Orleans police officers.
Washington’s great-grandmother has questioned the appropriateness of pursuing a car the nonviolent offense, telling WVUE-Fox8 she believed the toddler would be alive if State Police hadn’t chased her father.
Matey said a stolen license plate generally "also leads us to believe there is some sort of criminal nexus that they may be concealing with that stolen license plate."
"Yes, they were stopping that car for a stolen license plate," she said, "But they did believe there was further criminal activity because of it."
Noel said investigators have not, "as of now," linked Davis or his adult passenger to any crimes of violence. The investigation remains active, police said.
Correction: An earlier version of this story stated the incorrect month in which a NOPD press release was issued. The released was issued June 20, not July 20.
Car in police pursue that ended in three deaths was stolen, had stolen items inwards: NOPD
Car in police pursue that ended in three deaths was stolen, had stolen items inwards: NOPD
Gallery: NOPD and LSP hold presser to discuss deadly police pursue that left 2-year-old dead
NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
The car that led Louisiana State Police troopers on a harshly 7-mile pursue across Fresh Orleans on Wednesday (June 28) and ended in two deaths and a suicide was stolen, Fresh Orleans police said Friday. The car also contained a handful of items, including two guns, that had been reported stolen from various places around the city, NOPD Deputy Chief Paul Noel said.
The pursue began about Two:30 p.m. Wednesday at the edge of the French Quarter, continued on Interstate ten and ended when the 21-year-old driver lost control and crashed on Chef Menteur Highway near Lonely Oak Drive.
Ivory Washington, Two, and 25-year-old Brandon Harold were killed after being thrown from the car, authorities have said. Ivory’s father, Kenneth Davis, was driving the car, police said, and fatally shot himself after the crash.
"Our hearts and prayers go out to the families. We know the family is grieving," Noel said before briefing reporters on the stolen car and items. "This is not the outcome that any of us wished."
Trooper Very first Class Melissa Matey, a spokeswoman for the State Police, reiterated during a joint press conference at NOPD headquarters on Friday that troopers could not see that there was an adult passenger or the toddler in the car as they chased it.
"Anytime that there’s a child involved it doesn’t just hurt the family and the community. We are touched by that," she said. "It’s part of our jobs and we deal with it on a daily basis."
Louisiana State Police’s vehicle pursuit policy takes the presence of passengers in the fleeing vehicle into consideration when determining whether to begin a pursue and whether proceed it, Matey said. The agency declined an open records request seeking a copy of the policy, telling public release would hinder its effectiveness.
Maj. Doug Cain, a State Police spokesman, said Friday the agency would not say if the policy specifically addresses the presence of children in fleeing vehicles. The agency did not want to expose its tactics, he said, adding, "The last thing we want is the bad guys to know (when troopers are) not going to pursue."
The stolen items in the car included two guns, two wallets and two laptops. Including the car, the stolen items were taken from different parts of the city in five different police districts, Noel said. He said the car was stolen from NOPD’s 3rd District, which polices Lakeview, parts of the Lakefront and Gentilly and other areas. There also was an air rifle in the car, the deputy chief said.
Noel confirmed the white Honda Accord and license plate involved in the police pursue and crash was the same one NOPD mentioned in a June twenty press release about car burglaries in NOPD’s 2nd District, which polices parts of Uptown, the Carrollton and Hollygrove. A suspect named in that press release, Robert Hudson, is still dreamed by police in connection to the robberies, Noel said.
The car and license plate were stolen separately, NOPD spokesman Beau Tidwell said. The stolen license plate is what prompted troopers to begin the pursue, Matey said on Wednesday and again on Friday.
At the time of Davis’ death, he had an active warrant out for his arrest, Noel said. The unspecified warrant was of Jefferson Parish, Tidwell said, and was entered a multijurisdictional warrant database in October 2016.
NOPD’s vehicle pursuit does not permit officers to pursue a fleeing car unless the fleeing suspect is suspected of having committed a crime of violence. Based on the department’s written policy, a stolen license plate would not have appeared to have merited a vehicle pursuit by Fresh Orleans police officers.
Washington’s great-grandmother has questioned the appropriateness of pursuing a car the nonviolent offense, telling WVUE-Fox8 she believed the toddler would be alive if State Police hadn’t chased her father.
Matey said a stolen license plate generally "also leads us to believe there is some sort of criminal nexus that they may be concealing with that stolen license plate."
"Yes, they were stopping that car for a stolen license plate," she said, "But they did believe there was further criminal activity because of it."
Noel said investigators have not, "as of now," linked Davis or his adult passenger to any crimes of violence. The investigation remains active, police said.
Correction: An earlier version of this story stated the incorrect month in which a NOPD press release was issued. The released was issued June 20, not July 20.