State police: Explosive device found in abandoned vehicle ‘rendered safe’

DEQUINCY, La. (KPLC) - An explosive device found in a vehicle abandoned after an accident near DeQuincy has been “rendered safe,” state police officials said.

State Trooper Derek Senegal, spokesman for Troop D, says a device resembling a pipe bomb was found in the backseat of the vehicle after it was pulled from the ditch on La. 389, in between Jake Rigmaiden and Minnie Rigmaiden roads.

Louisiana State Police Emergency Service Technicians investigated and confirmed the device was explosive, then rendered it safe, Senegal said. Technicians searched the car for more explosive devices but found none.

The vehicle has been towed away.

The accident was reported as a single-vehicle crash around 4:30 a.m., Senegal said. When authorities arrived, the driver had abandoned the vehicle.

A person who lives in the area of La. 389 and Jake Rigmaiden Road told KPLC that authorities notified residents of the possible explosive device after the vehicle was pulled from the ditch.

“We had to shelter in place because there was something in the vehicle,” said resident April Jordy.

Jordy said she first saw police in the area when she let her dogs out around 4:30 a.m. A little while later, she realized there was a white vehicle in the ditch.

“When the bomb squad arrived, they removed something from the vehicle and they placed it by the road. And they all back away, very far away, and then something blew up,” said Jordy.

“They did render that device safe by detonating it,” said Senegal.

According to officials, the vehicle found was reported stolen and the driver is unknown at this time.

“They had that explosive device in there so, they [investigators] are going to do their do diligence to try to figure out what happened or chain of events...trying to find out who the person was,” said Senegal.

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