A wanted Franklinton man was arrested Sunday after leading law enforcement officials on a car chase before crashing.

Chief Deputy Mike Haley of the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office said that WPSO Patrol Sergeant Allen Dupre was monitoring traffic on Louisiana Highway 10 near the Dollar Road intersection Sunday, when he observed a vehicle approach the stop sign on Dollar Road and then start backing down Dollar Road away from Highway 10.

Dupre pursued the vehicle when the driver suddenly stopped, then proceeded back to Highway 10, running the stop sign there and continuing west on Highway 10, Haley said.

With Dupre in pursuit, the driver turned south onto Choctaw Road, eventually losing control of the vehicle in a sharp turn. Haley said the out-of-control vehicle stopped in the road facing north, at which time the driver began backing down Choctaw Road. The driver then attempted to spin the vehicle around and instead went into a ditch.

Haley said that Dupre exited his patrol vehicle and apprehended the driver, identified as Kevin Earl Jackson, 32, a resident of Gene Williams Road in Franklinton. It was determined that Jackson is wanted in Baton Rouge for theft of a motor vehicle. Additionally, the vehicle Jackson was driving when apprehended had been reported stolen from the Pine area on Friday.

Jackson was transported to the Washington Parish Jail where he is being held with no bond set at this time. He is charged with reckless operation of a motor vehicle, running a stop sign, aggravated flight from an officer, driving under suspension, possession of stolen property, automobile theft and fugitive from other jurisdiction.

Parish Sheriff Randy Seal congratulated his staff on making the arrest.

“The Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division does an excellent job,” Seal said. “These fine officers are usually the first to arrive at any scene and I cannot say enough good things about them. When they stop a vehicle, they never know who is driving or what their motive might be.

“In this case, it was a wanted felon who was arrested without incident. That is not always the case. I am so appreciative of the fine work of our patrol deputies who travel our roads daily to protect us. In this case, Sgt. Dupre was able to solve two vehicle thefts, one locally and one in Baton Rouge.”