NEW ORLEANS – Just before 4:00 p.m. on March 5, JPSO deputies responded to the area of Manhattan Blvd. and the Westbank Expressway in reference to a license plate alert on a stolen black Ford Explorer.

Deputies located the vehicle on Destrehan Avenue near the Westbank Expressway and attempted to stop the vehicle. The driver initially pulled over in the 1000 block of Destrehan Avenue, but fled as deputies approached.

Deputies pursued the vehicle, which traveled to the Westbank Expressway.  The driver rammed a JPSO vehicle multiple times during the pursuit, and again stopped at the top of the off-ramp on the elevated portion of the eastbound Westbank Expressway.

As deputies approached, the suspect started driving against the flow of traffic in the eastbound lanes. The suspect vehicle crashed into another vehicle shortly after.  The driver of that vehicle, a white Mercedes C350, was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

The suspect was detained at the crash site and transported to a local hospital for treatment. Upon his release, he will be charged with multiple counts of aggravated flight, aggravated criminal damage, resisting an officer, multiple counts of battery on a police officer with injury, possession of stolen property, and multiple traffic offenses.

The eastbound lanes of the elevated portion of the Westbank Expressway were closed for about two hours before reopening around 6:00 p.m.