Last week DA Warren Montgomery reported that Justin Hutchinson, age 31, of Marrero was found guilty of attempted possession of a firearm by a person convicted of certain felonies.
On August 17, 2020, at a little before midnight, a St. Tammany Parish Deputy observed Hutchinson swerving in his lane of travel and ultimately crossing and straddling the center line. The Deputy activated his lights but the defendant drove on for another half mile. Hutchinson finally came to a complete stop, but instead of exiting the vehicle, he put it in reverse and struck the officer’s unit. He then pulled his car forward, exited it, and momentarily fled on foot before returning to his car and reaching back into it.
The Deputy, using verbal commands, was able to order Hutchinson completely out of the vehicle. During the ensuing pat-down, the deputy noticed the smell of marijuana and other signs of impairment from the defendant. The Deputy administered field sobriety tests. The defendant performed poorly and was arrested for DWI.
The Deputy conducted a query from dispatch and learned that Hutchinson was a convicted felon on an aggravated assault with a firearm charge. While the defendant was being detained, Deputies who had arrived on the scene saw in plain view, a Draco mini AK-47 on the back passenger floor board of the vehicle Hutchinson was driving.
