An hour-long traffic jam on Bonnet Carre Spillway ended in gunfire late Saturday after a man shot two people during a domestic argument, St. John Sheriff Mike Tregre said Sunday.
The bumper-to-bumper traffic was caused by a multiple vehicle collision that occurred around 10:30 p.m. on the overflow road in the westbound lanes of Interstate 10 near mile post 210, State Police confirmed.
One of the dozen of people waiting in this traffic jam was 30-year-old Devin Jose Jones, who went home with his wife and boyfriend after his connoisseur wedding ceremony.
Tregre said that at one point while they were waiting, Jones accused his wife and boyfriend of having a romantic affair. After an argument, Jones grabbed his gun, and the woman’s friend escaped from the car on foot.
Tregre said Jones shot the man in the leg and shot a bullet into a nearby vehicle, injuring the hand of another driver who was driving home to Lafayette. Fearing for her life, his wife jumped out of her car and ran to first responders who were helping the victims of the clash.
This team had the woman take refuge in her ambulance. But shortly afterwards, St. John officials found Jones shivering and slapping the vehicle as it tried to get to the woman, Tregre said.
They arrested Jones for attempted second degree murder, the illegal use of weapons, and other crimes.
“I’m just glad no one was killed,” said Tregre. “It was a very unusual night last night … in the top 10 of my years.”
Traffic remained closed until around 3 a.m. on Sunday after the incident, when police worked to remove cartridge cases from the highway. The state police announced that the delays have now been resolved.
The male friend and the other injured driver were flown from the scene and taken to the university hospital for treatment for their injuries. Although the investigation is still ongoing, Tregre said alcohol was a factor in the incident.
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Other drivers waiting in traffic while police tried to track down Jones asked friends to pray for them on social media, according to several posts.
“I have my .45 with me on my lap and ready to defend myself or everyone around me if need be !!!! Please hold everyone up here in your thoughts and prayers in this hellhole !!!” wrote Brian Chappell Jr.
Another couple driving from Louis Armstrong International Airport to their Baton Rouge home said they heard screams not long after the overflow traffic.
Brelyn Howard and her fiancé Dan Bowen thought someone was just angry because some cars were trying to jump the line and drive on the hard shoulder of the freeway.
They rolled down the windows to hear what was going on. Shortly after, they saw a man in a suit hobble towards their car, Howard said.
“He said, ‘Someone please call 911! You have to get him!’ And when he got to our car, we could see that he was shot in the leg for holding the leg and limping, “she said.
“I don’t know if he was drunk or what, but he wasn’t fine and there was quite a bit of blood on the back of his pants.”
Howard said she called 911 but couldn’t get through. Later she saw police officers running up the shoulder to where the man had come from, some holding large rifles. Others wriggled in and out of the stopped cars looking for Jones.
Howard and Bowen didn’t arrive in Baton Rouge until 2:15 p.m. after being stuck in traffic for more than two hours, she said.
“It was the first time I’d seen anyone shot, “said Howard.
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