Construction Crane Hijacking in Louisiana
A man from Louisiana has been arrested after reportedly hijacking a construction crane, which resulted in significant traffic disruption between states.
Matthew Vincent, 37, from Vinton, was taken into custody on Saturday after police received several reports of a car accident around 5:30 a.m. on Interstate 10 close to Louisiana Highway 108. Louisiana State Police confirmed the situation in a news release.
When law enforcement arrived, they found a crane positioned across the westbound lane, with cables dangling down. These cables struck passing vehicles, which led to a series of collisions on the highway, according to the police.
Authorities noted that construction was in progress at the time, and no crew had been present to properly manage the crane, which only added to the chaos on the highway.
A detective later discovered a key fob belonging to a pickup truck inside the crane, leading to a trail that matched it in a field south of I-10, near the scene of the crash.
They believe Vincent drove the truck off the highway into the field before getting stuck, and then fled on foot. He allegedly entered the crane without permission.
Once inside, Vincent reportedly maneuvered the crane’s boom arm onto the interstate, causing major damage to the machinery and resulting in prolonged road closures.
The incidents led to four separate crashes, injuring two people in total. Officers apprehended Vincent near the location of the crane.
Authorities are also looking into whether he had any accomplices involved in this bizarre incident.
“LSP detectives are continuing to investigate and are looking into possible accomplices,” a representative from state police mentioned.
Anyone who might have seen anything unusual before this incident is encouraged to reach out to Louisiana State Police detectives.
Vincent has been charged with simple robbery, highway obstruction, criminal mischief, and other related offenses. He was booked at the Calcasieu Correction Center on Saturday morning, with a bond set at $3,500, according to court documents.
