VINTON, La. - Louisiana State Police say a Vinton man is behind bars after a bizarre series of crashes shut down Interstate 10 early Saturday morning.
Troopers with LSP Troop D responded to multiple 911 calls around 5:30 a.m. after drivers reported a construction crane hit multiple vehicles near Louisiana Highway 108. Investigators say Matthew Vincent, 37, intentionally manipulated the crane, causing its cables to dangle into the westbound lanes of traffic and strike vehicles.
A passing vehicle first struck the cables, triggering three additional crashes. Two people were injured, and the interstate was closed for hours due to significant damage to the crane and surrounding property. State Police emphasized that construction crews were not working at the time, and the crane was unattended before Vincent’s actions.
Detectives later recovered a Ram pickup truck key fob inside the crane. Troopers found Vincent’s truck abandoned in a nearby field and eventually located Vincent himself. The key fob was confirmed to belong to his vehicle.
According to investigators, Vincent drove his truck off LA 108 into a field, where it became stuck. He then crossed I-10, climbed into the crane, and maneuvered its boom into traffic, leading to the chain-reaction crashes.
Vincent was taken into custody and now faces multiple charges connected to the incident.