What started as a high-speed pursuit Tuesday morning in Morgan City, ended with a grass fire in Amelia that caused minor damage to a Morgan City Police unit.
On Tuesday, August 20, 2024, at approximately 11:25 am, an officer with the Morgan City Police Department observed a vehicle initiate an improper turn in the area of Hwy 182 near the MLK Boulevard. The vehicle reportedly also had improper window tint. A stop was initiated at which time the operator of the vehicle fled at a high rate of speed.
Officers then gave chase on Highway 182 towards Amelia, with speeds exceeding 100 mph. The suspect entered a field off of Joel Boulevard and fled on foot and onto Friendship Alley where Ford was taken into custody.
The heat from a responding Morgan City Police Department unit ignited a grass fire, resulting in minor damage to the unit. The fire spread into the field, however the Amelia Volunteer Fire Department responded to extinguish the blaze. The fire was brought under control at approximately 12:00 pm.
The suspect, Jerrence Christopher Ford, 36 years of age, of Friendship Lane in Amelia, was arrested at 11:33 am on the following charges: Aggravated Flight from an Officer, Aggravated Obstruction of a Highway, Reckless Operation of a Motor Vehicle, Resisting an Officer, Driving Under Suspension. Signals Required and Fugitive for Probation and Parole.
Ford was found to be a fugitive from Probation and Parole and his driver’s license was suspended. He was arrested on the charges related to the vehicle pursuit and incarcerated in the Morgan City Jail where he now awaits court proceedings.