Trooper crashed patrol car and left the scene, Louisiana cops say. Now, he’s charged
A veteran Louisiana state trooper left the scene of a crash — and lied about the damage to his patrol car, officials said.
Now, Lt. Chad Lacoste of the Louisiana State Police faces multiple charges tied to the New Orleans-area allegations while he’s placed on administrative leave, according to his department. He was taken into custody on Friday, April 8.
Officials in an April 8 news release didn’t list an attorney for Lacoste. He had been on the force for 19 years and most recently worked in criminal investigations.
State police said officials started looking into a crash in September 2021 and noticed Lacoste’s story about it didn’t add up.
“Lacoste reported being involved in a hit and run crash in his unmarked department vehicle on U.S. Highway 90 in Orleans Parish,” officials said. “During the course of the investigation, it was discovered that Lt. Lacoste’s department vehicle was involved in a separate hit and run crash the day before on Louisiana Highway 22 in St. Tammany Parish.”
Lacoste is accused of driving away after he was involved in the St. Tammany Parish crash. Then, officials said, he “falsely reported damage to his vehicle during the second alleged hit and run crash in Orleans Parish.”
As of April 8, “the second crash has not been confirmed and remains an alleged hit and run crash,” troopers told McClatchy News in an emailed statement.
Lacoste was taken into custody and charged with malfeasance in office and injuring public records. He also faces a “summons for hit and run driving and careless operation of a motor vehicle,” according to state police.
He remains on administrative leave as investigations continue, officials said.
This story was originally published April 8, 2022 at 3:15 PM with the headline "Trooper crashed patrol car and left the scene, Louisiana cops say. Now, he’s charged."
