Traffic was halted on Interstate 10 East Wednesday morning after a man arrested during a drug bust was struck and killed by
an 18-wheeler as he tried to flee from police, authorities said.
Matthew Quentin Tatum, 27, of Montgomery, Ala., was stopped by narcotics officers on I-10 between Sulphur and Vinton, state
police Sgt. James Anderson said.
Officers reportedly found four pounds of marijuana in Tatum’s trunk. Shortly after his arrest, Tatum, his hands cuffed, ran
onto the highway and was hit by a truck driven by Charles H. Guidry, 58, of Lake Charles, Anderson said.
Evidence shows that Guidry tried to avoid Tatum, and no charges have been filed against him, police said. Tatum was pronounced
dead at the scene, Anderson said.
I-10 East was closed from about 8:30 until 10:30 a.m., he said.