Two elderly women were loading groceries into their vehicle outside a Louisiana Piggly Wiggly when police say a man approached them, turning an ordinary Sunday afternoon into a multi-parish pursuit. By the time it was over, the stolen vehicle was disabled, the suspect had taken off running, and a police K-9 helped make sure the chase didn’t continue much farther.
According to the Rayne Police Department, officers responded to the store at approximately 1:14 p.m. on September 7 following a reported carjacking involving women ages 68 and 69. Police identified the suspect as 47-year-old Michael Dupuis Jr., also known as “T-MIKE.”
Police said Dupuis entered the women’s vehicle and used physical force against the 68-year-old as she tried to prevent him from taking it. He then drove away with more than just the vehicle, as the victims’ purses, groceries, and other personal belongings were still inside.
Dupuis was last seen heading eastbound on U.S. Highway 90, prompting Rayne Police to alert surrounding law enforcement agencies. Officers in Duson eventually spotted the stolen vehicle, but police said Dupuis had no intention of making their next traffic stop an easy one.
Carjacking Turns Into a Multi-Parish Police Pursuit
According to Rayne Police, Dupuis refused to stop for Duson officers and instead led authorities on a pursuit through Lafayette Parish and into St. Martin Parish. The chase eventually involved the Duson Police Department, Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, Lafayette Police Department, Louisiana State Police, St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Breaux Bridge Police Department.
The pursuit finally reached the Breaux Bridge area, where police said the stolen vehicle became disabled and Dupuis abandoned it. Apparently unwilling to accept that as the end of his escape attempt, he continued running from officers on foot.
That part didn’t last very long either, as police said a Lafayette Police Department K-9 assisted officers in quickly apprehending Dupuis. He was taken into custody and is being held at the Acadia Parish Jail on a $100,000 bond set by Commissioner Andre Doguet.
Comments and Reactions to the Louisiana Carjacking Arrest
The K-9’s involvement quickly became one of the most popular parts of the story among commenters, particularly after a vehicle pursuit spanning multiple jurisdictions ended with Dupuis running away on foot. One person joked that he was “literally brought down by a dog,” while another simply said they hoped the K-9 “got on him.”
Others were baffled by the apparent decision to try escaping in the first place, with one commenter asking what makes someone think they can “actually get away with something like this.” Another pointed out that a considerably easier transportation option existed from the beginning, joking that “a bus ticket would have been cheaper.”
The fact that the victims were 68 and 69 also prompted warnings about staying aware in parking lots, with one commenter encouraging women to remain vigilant while loading groceries and to keep purses secured. The circumstances clearly rattled some locals, particularly because the encounter took place in as ordinary a place as a Piggly Wiggly parking lot in the middle of the afternoon.