A suspect that allegedly led police on a pursuit over the weekend has been arrested and found to be connected to the shooting of a local taxi driver.
Police say 33-year-old Courtlyn Pete of Lake Charles was arrested on Saturday November 30, 2019, following an alleged pursuit in a stolen vehicle. That pursuit ended near the intersection of Illinois and West Walton Streets.
According to officers, it was later learned that Pete was responsible for a shooting on November 28, 2019, which occurred in the 3800 block of Brentwood Street.
In that incident, a local taxi driver traveled to Brentwood Street to pick up a fair and upon arriving at the location, the suspect, now identified as Pete, entered the victim's vehicle and shot the taxi driver once in the face. The victim exited the vehicle after the shooting and Pete allegedly gained control of the victim's vehicle and fled to Texas.
The victim was treated at a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
At around 4:19 pm on November 30, Lake Charles police spotted the stolen vehicle traveling eastbound on I-210 in Lake Charles and when officers with the Lake Charles Police Department and Louisiana State Police attempted to stop the vehicle, a pursuit ensued.
Following his arrest on Saturday, Pete was initially jailed on November 30, 2019 for illegal possession of stolen property, hit and run, flight from an officer, careless operation, and operating a vehicle with suspended license. On December 2, 2019 detectives with the Lake Charles Police Department completed a new warrant on the charges of attempted first degree murder, carjacking and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The bond for Pete was set at $1,750,000.00 and he is currently housed at the Calcasieu Parish Corrections Facility.
