UPDATE: Woman leads police on chase in stolen PAPD car

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A Port Arthur Police officer on the scene of a police chase in which a female suspect allegedly slipped out of handcuffs near Lamar State College-Port Arthur and stole a PAPD car. The chase ended on U.S. 69 near a Conoco station Friday. Mary Meaux

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September 24, 2010

Mary Meaux The Port Arthur News The Port Arthur News Fri Sep 24, 2010, 05:02 PM CDT

A Beaumont woman is in custody after slipping out of handcuffs and leading police on a high speed chase while driving a stolen Port Arthur Police vehicle.

PAPD Maj. Raymond Clark said Candace Broussard, 28, had been placed under arrest at Lamar State College-Port Arthur on a charge of trespassing about 11:12 a.m. Friday.

The woman was secured with handcuffs and placed in the back seat of one of the department’s new Dodge patrol cars as the officer stood outside the vehicle gathering information from officials at the college. The woman opened a 12-inch by 12-inch partition and climbed into the front seat of the police cruiser and began driving, striking an occupied vehicle at Lake Charles Avenue and Procter Street shortly after fleeing.

A chase ensued as the woman drove rapidly on Lakeshore Drive and a call went out for additional officers to assist locate the marked patrol car that was soon speeding in excess of 100 mph.

A police unit attempted to stop the driver while she was heading northbound on Memorial Boulevard but she failed to yield to the unit, Clark said.

Officers made preparations to have spikes placed in the roadway ahead of the speeding vehicle, he said. She was able to drive around one set of strips but drove over a second set of strips, deflating two of the tires on the car. She continued north, exiting at the Texas 347 turnaround in Beaumont and by that time the tires were completely flat and shredded. The woman pulled the car into the parking lot of Conoco, 6290 Texas 347, where several agencies who assisted in the pursuit, assisted in the arrest of Broussard.

She was charged with escape from custody, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and evading detention with a motor vehicle.

Clark said Broussard had visited the college campus in the past causing a disturbance and a trespass warning was issued prior to Friday’s event.

Over at the Conoco station, police cars from Port Arthur and Beaumont surrounded the crippled vehicle. The driver side door of the vehicle was pushed inward as the result of the traffic accident that occurred while fleeing police. The shredded tires sat on rims causing the car to awkwardly lean to the right.

Clark said it is not unusual for a suspect to flee custody but it’s not something that occurs every day.

The dangers of the situation wasn’t lost on law enforcement. Police units can travel at high speeds but the average driver isn’t trained to maneuver a vehicle at top speeds.

Beaumont Police Officer Carol Riley, a public information officer, echoed Clark’s words on the danger of the situation. Once inside the vehicle, the suspect had access to the officer’s radio equipment and could possibly hear broadcasts from officers in pursuit as well as having access to any firearms that might have been in the vehicle.

Clark said the incident will be reviewed to make sure the officer whose car was stolen had taken all precautions to secure the suspect prior to the escape.

The new Dodge Charger patrol unit costs about $50,000 each including any special law enforcement equipment inside.

mmeaux@panews.com

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UPDATE: Woman leads police on chase in stolen PAPD car

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