Two N.O. men arrested in a stolen truck after fleeing from sheriff’s deputies who tried to stop them

Keith Taylor, booked with possession of a stolen truck and aggravated flight from deputies

Kerry Smith, booked with possession of a stolen truck

Two New Orleans men were arrested in a stolen truck after fleeing from sheriff’s deputies who tried to stop them, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Keith Taylor and Kerry Smith, both 36, were arrested Jan. 12 and booked with possession of stolen property after sheriff’s deputies Brad Nuccio and Kenny Sierra boxed in the Ram pickup truck they were riding in on Paris Road and forced them to stop in the 4000 block, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

The truck had been identified as reported stolen in New Orleans. When deputies tried to stop them, Taylor, who was driving, quickly made a U-turn from the south-bound right-hand lane on Paris Road and headed north-bound toward New Orleans, nearly causing accidents with other motorists, the sheriff said.

The driver’s door lock had been broken on the truck, as well as the ignition, and no keys were found inside the vehicle or on the suspects, the sheriff said. A screw driver was found on the driver’s side floorboard, which likely had been used to start the vehicle.

Both men were booked into St. Bernard Parish Prison. Taylor was booked with aggravated flight from officers as well as possession of stolen property and was also held on an arrest warrant from Jefferson Parish.

Taylor was being held in lieu of $14,000 bond and Smith was jailed in lieu of $11,000 bond.