Louisiana Man Arrested After Hijacking Construction Crane and Causing Multiple Crashes on Interstate 10

Matthew Vincent, 37, of Vinton, was taken into custody Saturday after allegedly hijacking a construction crane and blocking traffic

A Louisiana man was arrested after allegedly hijacking a construction crane and using it to block traffic on Interstate 10, resulting in a series of collisions that injured two people and shut down the highway for several hours.

Matthew Vincent, 37, of Vinton, was taken into custody early Saturday after police responded to reports of crashes near Louisiana Highway 108 around 5:30 a.m. Arriving officers found the crane parked in the median, with its boom arm and cables extending over westbound lanes. The dangling cables struck a passing vehicle and caused three additional accidents, according to state police.

Matthew Vincent, 37, of Vinton, was taken into custody Saturday after allegedly hijacking a construction crane and blocking traffic

Investigators determined that no construction was underway at the time and no crew members were operating the crane. Detectives located a Ram pickup key fob inside the crane and later found the matching truck abandoned in a nearby field south of the interstate. Police say Vincent drove the truck off the highway before it became stuck, then fled on foot, crossed the interstate, and unlawfully entered the crane.

Once inside the machine, Vincent allegedly moved the boom arm into the roadway, causing significant damage to the crane and obstructing traffic. The obstruction triggered four separate crashes and left two victims with injuries.

The four crashes left two people injured and caused a major traffic backup

Vincent was found and arrested near the scene. Authorities are investigating the possibility that he may have had an accomplice and are asking anyone who witnessed suspicious activity in the area to contact Louisiana State Police.

Vincent has been charged with simple burglary, aggravated obstruction of a highway, criminal mischief, pedestrian on the interstate, two counts of negligent injuring, and five counts of hit-and-run driving. He is being held at the Calcasieu Correction Center with bond set at $3,500.