Men on ATVs lead police on high-speed chase through traffic

One of the men apprehended after fleeing into Cytec and asking to use the phone

Two men traveling on a pair ATVs led sheriff’s deputies on a high-speed chase through River Road traffic, reaching speeds of 80 mph as they evaded officers.

One of the men, 18-year-old James L. Gray, of 432 Butler Drive in Avondale, was eventually captured, but officers are still searching for the other suspect.

A sheriff’s deputy first noticed the two men traveling north on Paul Fredrick Street toward Brooklyn Street at a high rate of speed. The deputy called for backup and a chase soon began as the deputies tried to stop the men. The men refused to stop and raced to the top of the levee at speeds of 80 mph in an attempt to evade the police.

The pair then moved to River Road where they ran several vehicles off the road as they sped east in the west bound lane.

According to sheriff’s office reports, as the pursuit neared the Jefferson Parish line in Ama, both men crossed River Road from the levee and entered the residential area. At this point, the men split up, with one turning down a dirt road near Bunge Road where he was blocked by a large fence. The man left the ATV and fled on foot towards the Ama airport. The deputy in pursuit soon lost site of the suspect.

The second ATV turned down Alice Street. The man driving this ATV, which turned out to be Gray, fled into the wooded area near Cytec Industries. The deputy in pursuit notified Cytec personnel to be on the lookout for Gray.

Officers then set up a perimeter and requested K-9 assistance. As K-9 units were canvassing the surrounding area, Cytec security personnel notified the sheriff’s office that they had located Gray on the compound. Gray had no shoes on at the time and had actually asked Cytec employees if he could use their phone.

According to the sheriff’s report, after his arrest Gray  told officers that the second ATV driver’s name was Lance, but that he didn’t know Lance’s last name. However, he told officers that he could take them to Lance’s house in Avondale.

When officers drove to the home where Lance supposedly lived, they were unable to locate him.

Both of the ATVs were recovered and towed away.