State Police Lt. Chad Lacoste is on administrative leave after he was taken into custody on April 8, 2022 on charges of malfeasance in office and injuring public records.
The investigation and charges stemmed from two reported hit and run crashes in St. Tammany and Orleans parishes in September 2021.
The investigation began in Sept. 2021 when Lt. Lacoste was reported involved in a hit and run crash in his unmarked department vehicle on Hwy 90 in Orleans Parish. During the investigation, officials learned that Lt. Lacoste’s department vehicle was involved in a separate hit and run crash the day before on Hwy 22 in St. Tammany Parish.
Through examining the damage to Lacoste’s unit, electronic evidence, and witness statements, investigators determined that Lacoste intentionally failed to stop at the scene of the initial crash in St. Tammany Parish and then allegedly falsely reported damage to his vehicle during the second alleged hit and run crash in Orleans Parish.
Lacoste is charged with one count each of malfeasance in office in both St. Tammany and Orleans parishes and one count of injuring public records in Orleans Parish. In addition to the charges related to the false reporting of the incidents, Lacoste was issued a summons for hit and run driving and careless operation of a motor vehicle for his role in the St. Tammany Parish crash.
All of Lacoste’s law enforcement property was recovered pending the conclusion of the criminal and administrative investigations.
Lacoste has been employed with Louisiana State Police since 2003 and was assigned to the criminal investigations division.
“Once again, I pledge to support you. I will, likewise, continue to hold each and every one of us accountable for our actions,” said State Police Col. Lamar Davis.
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