Franklinton man faces habitual offender trial after conviction

By Matthew Penix
St. Tammany News
Published on Friday, April 18, 2008 9:39 AM CDT

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A Franklinton man who forced cars off the road during a high speed pursuit with Sheriff’s Office deputies through Waldheim was convicted Wednesday of aggravated flight, District Attorney Walter Reed spokesman Rick Wood said.

The conviction qualifies Darren Dykes, 24, to be tried as a habitual offender on April 29, a move that could sentence him to life in prison, Wood said.

Dykes, whose previous convictions include two counts of illegal discharge of a firearm, distribution of cocaine and possession of Oxycontin, fled from deputies March 3, 2006.

Pulled over for speeding on Louisiana Highway 21, Dykes gave deputies a fake name and when they “went to run the information, he took off,” Wood said.

“Finally he stopped the vehicle and bailed out of the car,” forcing deputies into a foot chase where they eventually caught Dykes.

When they returned to the car, deputies found two guns hidden under the driver’s seat, a Glock 9 mm and a Rutger P85.

Although a co-defendant Phillip Chatman, 29, of D’Iberville, Miss., told deputies he owned the guns, Dykes was also convicted of attempt to possess a firearm by a felon, Wood said.

Chatman was change with misdemeanor marijuana possession. He did not flee the car.

Another defendant, Hamadi Ingram, 23, of Gulfport, Miss. was also in the vehicle but did not flee. He pleaded guilty in May last year to possession of a firearm.

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