COVINGTON, La. (WGNO) — Zarius J. Brown, age 35, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault on a peace officer with a motor vehicle, illegal possession of stolen things and aggravated criminal damage to property.
In July of 2018, a Washington Parish Sheriff’s deputy responded to a call of a stolen tow truck in Franklinton. The officer signaled his lights and siren to pull the truck over, but Brown, who was driving the truck, at first refused to stop.
After eventually stopping Brown’s truck, the deputy approached the truck and that’s when Brown put the truck in reverse, ramming into the deputy’s squad car. That caused the car to slide off the road, pinning the deputy between the car and debris on the ground.
Fearing for his life, the deputy fired multiple shots at the truck, but Brown ran into a wooded area. A dog tracking team later found him and he was arrested.
Brown was sentenced to 15 years in prison, without the benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Luke Lancaster