Slidell officers, K-9 stung by hornets as suspected truck thief eludes them in New Orleans East

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - Two Slidell Police officers and a department K-9 were injured Monday (May 15) during a manhunt that failed to capture a suspected truck thief in New Orleans East.

Authorities said the suspect stole a 2005 Ford F-250 pickup truck around 4:15 p.m. from the parking lot of Slidell’s Club 4 Fitness in the 800 block of Brownswitch Road. A Slidell officer saw the speeding vehicle and pursued it into New Orleans East, where the suspect crashed the truck near the Michoud Boulevard exit and fled across the interstate on foot into a wooded area.

Officers and agents from Slidell, the New Orleans Police Department, the FBI and other agencies converged on the area to assist in the manhunt. A Slidell police K-9, law enforcement drones and a helicopter joined in the search, while the victim’s truck burned as a result of the crash.

During the search, two Slidell Police officers and the department’s K-9 were attacked by hornets in a marshy area, suffering numerous stings that required emergency hospital treatment. All three were treated and released, with the dog requiring closer monitoring for any allergic reaction.

On Tuesday (May 16) morning, Slidell police said that the K-9 officer, Max, has returned home after a vet’s visit. The department says that the K-9 should be good to return to work after a few days of rest.

The search was called off at dusk, with the suspect still at large, Slidell Police said.

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