An Arabi-area man stole a car then tried to avoid arrest by leaping off the I-10 Twin Span into Lake Pontchartrain, the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office says.
A resident on North Summerfield Loop in the Slidell area called the sheriff's office Monday morning to report a man stealing her 2018 GMC Yukon.
Patrol deputies spotted the vehicle on I-10 near Oak Harbor. Using a safety feature on the SUV, deputies were able to disable it remotely, bringing it to a stop on the I-10 bridge.
The thief got out of the car and jumped from the bridge to the water below.
Callers to WWL Radio described deputies lined up at the bridge rail, aiming assault rifles toward the water.
The St. Tammany Parish Marine Division responded and arrested 36-year-old Keith Hebert of Arabi. Deputies took him to the hospital to be evaluated, and upon release will book him on charges of auto theft, fleeing police, and obstruction of a highway, among other charges.
"Once again, let us send the message – Do not come to St. Tammany thinking you are going to commit a crime and get away with it," said St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Randy Smith. "You will be arrested."