Baton Rouge teen-ager in a stolen car flees from a deputy in Meraux, strikes a pole and a house before caught on foot

An 18-year-old Baton Rouge male driving a stolen Cadillac fled from a sheriff’s deputy in Meraux who saw him driving recklessly, then the teen struck a highway pole and a house trying to get away before he was tackled in a foot pursuit and arrested, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Michael Perrilloux, who said he wanted to get away from family members back home, ended up in St. Bernard Parish Tuesday morning, March 4, after stealing a 2005 silver Cadillac in the Baton Rouge area, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

Perrilloux was seen driving recklessly on East Judge Perez and Dep. Barry Johnson pursued him until he stopped around the 4500 block, but as Johnson was getting out his vehicle, Perrilloux sped off.

He reached DeBouchel Boulevard but tried to pass other vehicles stopped there and struck a pole on the highway, after which he drove away until he hit a house at DeBouchel and Tracey Drive in a subdivision, but no one was injured, the sheriff said.

Perrilloux fled on foot after the seconf crash, jumping fences, but Dep. Henry Senez tackled him at Anais Drive at Mayflower Drive, ending the pursuit.

Perrilloux, who initially said he had found the vehicle abandoned on an interstate, was booked into St. Bernard Parish Prison on Tuesday for hit-and-run driving, aggravated flight from an officer, resisting arrest, reckless operation and driving without a license.

On Wednesday, after admitting he had stolen the Cadillac in the Baton Rouge area, where it was reported stolen on March 1, he was re-booked in the prison with the added count of possession of stolen property, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

Perrilloux is being held in lieu of bond set at $41,500.