A Breaux Bridge woman was booked with DWI and other charges after a Lafayette Police motorcycle officer was hit on an interstate entrance ramp late Wednesday.
State Troopers identify the driver as Chelsea Meaux, 34, of Breaux Bridge. As of Thursday morning, she was still in LPCC, records show.
The crash happened just after 9 p.m. on the Gloria Switch entrance ramp on I-49.
The officer was on a motorcycle, with his emergency lights on, and was blocking the ramp for a funeral procession that was traveling south.
At the same time, Meaux was driving pick-up truck on the ramp, didn't stop and hit the officer and the motorcycle, troopers allege.
After the crash, Meaux left the scene without offering assistance or checking on the officer. Responding LPD officers quickly located and stopped her, troopers say.
Troopers determined Meaux to be impaired and placed her under arrest. She provided a voluntary breath sample which showed a blood alcohol concentration over the legal limit. Meaux was booked into the Lafayette Parish jail with DWI, felony hit-and-run, open alcohol container, careless operation, expired license plate and first-degree negligent injury.
The officer sustained moderate to severe injuries and was transported to a nearby hospital, where they are now in stable condition. Meaux was uninjured in the crash.
The LPD motorcycle officer was conducting an escort and was blocking the entrance ramp to I-49 at Gloria Switch Road when the crash happened.
After the crash, the driver was taken into custody and impairment is suspected. The suspect was transported to LPD for further testing, police said. Later they told us the driver was booked with multiple charges.
