Victim drove short distance before crashing into tree on July 4

<p class="p1">Jermaine “Dutt” Washington Jr.</p>CPSO

<p class="p1">A Welsh man was arrested Sunday and charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of a 21-year-old man on July 4.

<p class="p1">Jermaine “Dutt” Washington Jr., 22, is accused in the murder of Dorian Colston of Lake Charles.

<p class="p1">The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office said it responded to a one-vehicle accident at about 1 a.m. on July 4 at the intersection of U.S. 90 and Jones Road in Lake Charles after receiving a call from Louisiana State Police. 

<p class="p1">Authorities believe that Colston, after being shot several times, drove a short distance before crashing into a tree.

<p class="p1">When law enforcement arrived on the scene, they observed several people attempting to help Colston.

<p class="p1">Colston was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to authorities.

<p class="p1">Judge Robert Wyatt signed a warrant with a $1 million bond for Washington and on Sunday authorities learned that Washington was possibly in a Toyota Tacoma and traveling along Interstate 210 here.

<p class="p1">Deputies located the truck and conducted a traffic stop at 10:15 p.m. Sunday on I-210 near the Enterprise Boulevard on-ramp. Washington was in the passenger seat of the truck, authorities said, and Tarek K. Sonnier, 21, of Crowley, was driving. After serving a search warrant on the truck, officers located three bottles of codeine.

<p class="p1">Washington and Sonnier were arrested and booked into the Calcasieu Correctional Center.

<p class="p1">In addition to the second-degree murder charge, Washington is also charged with possession of CDS II with intent to distribute. He also has an active warrant out of Jeff Davis Parish for distribution or possession with intent of CDS II; illegal possession of a firearm in the presence of a controlled dangerous substance; flight from an officer; possession of CDS I; possession of CDS IV, and careless operation.

<p class="p1">Sonnier was charged with possession of CDS II with intent to distribute.