ST. TAMMANY PARISH, La. (WGNO) — A Louisiana State Police Lieutenant has been arrested and charged in connection to two New Orleans-area hit and run crashes.
On Friday, April 8, LSP announced the arrest of Lt. Chad Lacoste after an investigation connected him to the two crashes — one in Orleans Parish and the other in St. Tammany Parish.
LSP reports the charges stemmed from the September 2021 investigation in which Lacoste first reported being involved in a hit and run crash in his unmarked department vehicle. The crash occurred on US Highway 90 in Orleans Parish.
Detectives say just one day before the crash, Lacoste was also involved in a separate hit and run in the same vehicle — this time on LA Highway 22 in St. Tammany Parish.
According to LSP, it was revealed through vehicle damage, witness reports, and electronic evidence that Lacoste intentionally failed to stop at the scene of the St. Tammany Parish crash, then falsely reported damage to his car during the Orleans Parish crash.
Lacoste has been charged with two counts of Malfeasance in Office (one for each crash) and one count of Injuring Public Records. He has also receive a summons for Hit and Run Driving and Careless Operation of a Motor Vehicle for the accident in St. Tammany Parish.
Lacoste, who has been with LSP since 2003, was placed on administrative leave at the beginning of the investigation.
DPS Colonel Lamar Davis commented on Lacoste’s arrest, saying;
“Once again, I pledge to support you. I will, likewise, continue to hold each and every one of us accountable for our actions.”
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