Reckless driving stop leads to discovery of drugs and an outstanding warrant in Washington Parish

DISCLAIMER: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

FRANKLINTON, La. (WGNO) — A man is behind bars after Washington Parish detectives say what started out as a stop for reckless driving led to an arrest and a list of other charges.

On Sunday (Oct. 2), a Franklinton Police Department lieutenant was on his way to work when he reportedly saw 37-year-old Chad Thompson, driving recklessly just outside the town limits. The lieutenant reported to the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office and members of both agencies stopped then Thompson at a gas station.

Deputies say a search of records revealed Thompson had an outstanding warrant for violating a protective order and he was arrested. When authorities searched his vehicle, they discovered a plethora of items, many of them illegal:

• A number of illegal drugs
• A shotgun
• Drug paraphernalia
• A switched license plate
• Illegal blue headlights
• A fake inspection sticker

Thompson was taken to the Washington Parish Jail and now faces a $6,000 bond on the following charges:

• Two counts of possession of illegal drugs
• Possession of illegal drugs with a weapon present
• Possession of drug paraphernalia
• Violation of a protective order
• Improper equipment on his vehicle
• Switched license plate
• Improper motor vehicle inspection sticker
• Traffic violations

Sheriff Randy Seal released a statement on the arrest:

“Thanks to an alert Franklinton Police Department lieutenant and a quick response from our deputies, a wanted man was removed from the streets of our parish. This was a good example of cooperation between two law enforcement agencies in our parish. That is the way it works. All parish law enforcement agencies have a common goal to protect our citizens and we work together to make it happen.”