Man Allegedly Hijacked Crane on Highway, Causing Deadly Crashes

A 37-Year-Old Man Arrested for Hijacking a Construction Crane on a Highway

A 37-year-old man from Louisiana has been arrested after allegedly hijacking a construction crane and causing multiple car crashes on a major highway. The incident, which took place on Interstate 10, led to two injuries, significant property damage, and a prolonged closure of the road.

Matthew Vincent, a resident of Vinton, was taken into custody by Louisiana State Police (LSP) on August 16. He is now facing several charges, including one count of 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.

The LSP initially responded to reports of vehicles striking a construction crane in a work zone on Interstate 10 around 5:30 a.m. local time. According to police, a construction crane was positioned in the median with cables hanging over the westbound lanes, which struck a passing vehicle. This led to three additional crashes.

Despite the crashes, authorities determined that construction work was not taking place at the time, and the crane was not being operated by a construction worker. Detectives later found a key fob for a Dodge Ram pickup truck inside the crane. Troopers then located the corresponding truck in a field south of the highway.

Vincent was identified as the owner of the truck, which police allege he drove off the highway and through a field when it became stuck. He reportedly abandoned the vehicle, crossed the highway, and "unlawfully" entered the crane inside the work zone. There, he manipulated the crane boom over the westbound lanes, obstructing traffic and causing the crashes.

The crashes resulted in two reported injuries, "major damage" to the crane itself, "significant" property damage, and a "prolonged closure of the interstate," according to authorities.

Vincent is currently held at Calcasieu Correctional Center. It is unclear if he has legal representation to comment on his behalf. The LSP is still investigating the incident and looking into the possibility of an accomplice. Anyone who may have been in the area before the incident and observed suspicious activity is urged to contact Louisiana State Police detectives.

According to records from Calcasieu Correctional Center, Vincent's total bond has been set to $3,500. He was booked shortly after 7:30 p.m. on August 16. Interstate 10 has since been reopened.