WAFB Channel 9, Baton Rouge, LA |Police identify man accused of tossing $100,000 worth of cocaine off I-10 bridge

Police identify man accused of tossing $100,000 worth of cocaine off I-10 bridge

By Robb Hays

BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) - Police scrambled Tuesday night to try to recover nearly $100,000 worth of cocaine that was tossed from an SUV during a high-speed pursuit.

The ordeal started with a chase from West Baton Rouge Parish into East Baton Rouge Parish. Trooper Russell Graham with Louisiana State Police says troopers tried to stop the driver of a 2005 Chevrolet Equinox for following too closely along Interstate 10 at mile marker 147, but the driver took off.

As the driver headed over the Horace Wilkinson Bridge (commonly called the "new bridge") over the Mississippi River into Baton Rouge, the driver allegedly began tossing bags of suspected cocaine. Troopers estimate four to five kilos of cocaine were tossed from the vehicle. "Most of it (the cocaine) went into the water, but police recovered about a half-kilo in the eastbound lanes," Trooper Graham said.

Nearly a dozen Baton Rouge police cars were dispatched to the bridge about 8:45 p.m., shortly after the cocaine was tossed. Officers used their patrol cars to try to prevent the suspected cocaine from flying away. One kilo of cocaine has an estimated street value of nearly $20,000.

State police continued to pursue the driver along I-10. When the driver approached Essen Lane, he reportedly slowed to about 15 miles-per-hour and slammed on his brakes, causing a pursuing trooper to crash into the back of the man's SUV. No one was injured, Trooper Graham said. The suspect was taken into custody.

Troopers identified the man as 28-year-old Dwayne Isom of New Orleans. Isom is charged with possession with intent to distribute Schedule II drugs, aggravated flight from an officer, reckless operation, and various other traffic charges. Isom's bond has not yet been set.