A 59-year-old Georgia man wanted for a homicide in Florida is accused of shooting Grand Coteau Officer Kiara Harris on New Year’s Day after a traffic stop.
St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz said Michael Dewayne Lucas of Forsyth, Georgia, was arrested for attempted first-degree murder.
According to arrest the affidavit, the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office was contacted by Grand Coteau Police about an officer involved shooting.
“Officer Harris conducted a traffic stop on Lucas and exited her marked patrol unit. When Officer Harris approached the vehicle, Lucas started to fire a weapon from his vehicle...,” Guidroz stated.
Harris was wounded in the upper right right arm, he stated.
Lucas attempted to flee the scene with Harris in pursuit.
“ Lucas then lost control of his vehicle crashing it in a ditch and fled on foot. Lucas was apprehended in the rear of a residence on Burleigh Lane a short time later,” Guidroz stated.
During his arrest and search of his person, a Ruger P95 .9mm pistol was located on him, Guidroz stated.
Guidroz added, the vehicle that Lucas was driving was also reported stolen out of Calhoun County, Florida. According to Florida law enforcement officials, Lucas stole the vehicle after committing a homicide in Florida, Guidroz stated.
“Lucas agreed to provide a voluntary audio/visual statement to detectives and provided detailed information implicating him for the homicide in Florida and also admitted to intentionally shooting at Officer Harris during a traffic stop. Lucas was booked into the parish jail and a hold placed on him for the additional charges in Florida,” Guidroz stated.
“I would like to commend Officer Harris with the Grand Coteau Police Department for pursuing Lucas after being shot. Her survival skills and training did not let Lucas escape and led to the capture of a very violent and dangerous criminal. Arrest records show that Lucas has committed numerous violent crimes throughout the nation and hopefully this arrest will send him away for life,” Guidroz stated.
