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Trashawn Blake Harrison

Age : 15

Gender : Male

Race : Black

Date : 05/10/2021

Location : U.S. Highway 167 near Louisiana Highway 749

City : Opelousas

County : St. Landry

State : Louisiana

Agency : Louisiana State Police

Officer(s) :Not disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Passenger killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

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REASON FOR CHASE: Speeding
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NARRATIVE:
On 05/10/2021 shortly before 2:00 a.m., Trashawn Blake Harrison, 15, of Abbeville was one of four juvenile passengers riding in a Ford Explorer traveling north on U.S. Highway 167 near Louisiana Highway 749 in St. Landry Parish. Louisiana State Police later determined that the Explorer had been stolen from within the Abbeville city limits several hours earlier. Police did not report knowing that the vehicle was stolen when the pursuit began.
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A Louisiana State Police trooper observed the Explorer traveling at high speed and attempted a traffic stop. Police alleged the juvenile driver continued driving and the trooper initiated a pursuit. Severe storms were moving through Acadiana at the time. State Police said the combination of the Explorer's unsafe speed and the inclement weather became sufficiently dangerous that police alleged they discontinued the pursuit. The available public record does not provide a reliable maximum speed, pursuit distance or duration.
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A short time after police alleged they discontinued the pursuit, the trooper encountered the wrecked Explorer. The vehicle had left U.S. 167, struck a parked vehicle, overturned and then struck a utility pole before coming to rest. Harrison was ejected from the Explorer and died at the scene.
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Three other juvenile passengers were transported to area hospitals with moderate injuries. State Police said Harrison and the three injured passengers were not wearing seat belts. The juvenile driver fled the crash scene on foot.
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Eight days after the crash, the juvenile driver surrendered at Louisiana State Police Troop I and was booked into the Lafayette Juvenile Detention Center. The driver was charged with negligent homicide, hit-and-run, illegal possession of stolen things, three counts of negligent injuring, flight from an officer, speeding, driving without a license and reckless operation. Because the driver was a juvenile, authorities did not publicly release the driver's identity.
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Harrison was remembered by his family as “Blake.” His funeral was held on 05/22/2021 at Fletcher Funeral Home in Abbeville, followed by burial at St. Paul Cemetery.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
Louisiana State Police did not publicly identify the trooper who attempted the traffic stop and initiated the pursuit.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://kpel965.com/abbeville-teenager-dies-after-police-chase-crash-during-stormy-weather/
https://www.katc.com/news/st-landry-parish/stolen-vehicle-crashes-killing-teenage-passenger-juvenile-driver-sought-by-police
https://www.katc.com/news/st-landry-parish/update-juvenile-driver-in-fatal-stolen-car-crash-booked
https://kpel965.com/juvenile-driver-arrested-in-death-of-abbeville-teenager-following-police-chase/
https://www.wbrz.com/news/juvenile-suspect-on-the-run-after-crashing-stolen-car-leaving-15-year-old-dead
https://www.fletcherfuneralhomes.org/obituary/7463536
https://www.gueydantoday.com/obituaries/trashawn-blake-harrison
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/trashawn-harrison-obituary?id=5545960