Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Louisiana State Police say a trooper was shot in the head and critically injured Sunday when he tried to arrest a driver suspected of being drunk or drugged in southwest Louisiana. Here's the latest on that story (all times are local):
___
9:25 p.m.
The head of state police says video shows Senior Trooper Steven Vincent trying to talk a man out of a truck stuck in a ditch in southwest Louisiana, and the man shooting him with a sawed-off shotgun.
Col. Mike Edmonson says the 43-year-old trooper has severe neurological damage. In Edmonson's words, "His brain is not telling his body what to do."
At a Sunday night news conference in Lake Charles carried live by KPLC-TV (http://bit.ly/1Ed3Lta), he said Vincent was hit by two or three buckshot pellets.
He says 54-year-old Kevin Daigle of Lake Charles told Vincent, "You're lucky, you're going to die."
Then, says Edmonson, a driver turned around on the highway, got out, wrestled the shotgun away from Daigle, got him on the ground and got Vincent's handcuffs onto Daigle.
___
7 p.m.
Col. Michael Edmonson, head of Louisiana state police, says the trooper who was shot in the head on Sunday is a 13-year veteran who has a 9-year-old son.
He says 43-year-old Senior Trooper Steven Vincent is from a law enforcement family — one brother is also a state trooper and another is a town police chief.
He says 54-year-old Kevin Daigle of Lake Charles was arrested. He says charges against Daigle will include attempted murder of a police officer.
Regional spokesman James Anderson says both Vincent and Daigle are white.
Vincent was shot after receiving a call that Daigle was driving erratically and had drove his pickup truck into a ditch.
Edmonson says several civilians subdued Daigle, put the trooper's handcuffs on him and gave the trooper first aid.
___
6:15 p.m.
Louisiana State Police say a trooper was shot in the head Sunday afternoon by a man whose pickup truck had run into a ditch after being reported as driving erratically.
Sgt. James Anderson, state police spokesman in southwest Louisiana, says the trooper was in critical but stable condition Sunday evening at a hospital in Lake Charles.
Anderson says other drivers helped the trooper, called for help using the trooper's radio, and detained the driver.
Anderson says the man was belligerent and appeared impaired after his arrest.
Authorities are not releasing the name and age of the trooper or the man who was arrested.
Anderson says the man fought with other drivers, and was in a hospital being treated for scrapes and other injuries.
___
5:45 p.m.
Louisiana State Police say a trooper was shot in the head and critically injured when he tried to stop a driver suspected of being drunk or drugged in southwest Louisiana.
A message from the head of state police on the department's Facebook page says other drivers stopped the alleged gunman and helped the officer until paramedics arrived Sunday.
Maj. Doug Cain confirms that the officer was shot in the head.
Col. Mike Edmonson, head of state police, said the trooper's name and status will be released as the investigation continues. He asked for prayers and well wishes for the officer and his family.
The Facebook message's subject line read "Trooper Critically Injured — Prayers Needed."
Other details were not immediately available.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
