Arrest made after high speed chase in parish

Published 12:15 am Monday, January 5, 2015

VIDALIA — A high-speed chase led to the arrest of a Ridgecrest man Sunday morning.

Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to a disturbance at Illusions Bar on U.S. 84 in Vidalia early Sunday morning, CPSO Chief Deputy David Hedrick said.

When deputies arrived, Shawn M. Ward was pulling out of the parking lot and nearly hit a CPSO deputy, Hedrick said.

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Ward had allegedly fired several shots at the bar before CPSO deputies Rob Polk and Chris Stricklin arrived.

Hedrick said he wasn’t sure what initially caused the disturbance or shots to be fired at the bar.

The deputies chased Ward until they reached the outlying areas of Ferriday, where Ward pulled over and stuck his hands out of his car window.

“(Ward) said the people at the bar were shooting at him, but my deputies recovered a pistol from him,” Hedrick said. “He was shooting at the people at the bar.”

Hedrick said no one was harmed by the disturbance.

“(Polk and Strickland) did an excellent job taking care of the situation,” Hedrick said.

Ward, 24, 124 Plum St., Ridgecrest, was arrested and charged with reckless operation of a vehicle, driving while intoxicated (second offense), flight from an officer, possession of a schedule I, open container and aggravated assault with a firearm (two counts).

Ward remained at the Concordia Parish Jail with no bond set as of Sunday evening.