Covington Traffic Stop Uncovers Wanted Bogalusa Suspect

The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office has apprehended a man sought by the Bogalusa Police Department for attempted murder and other charges. The arrest occurred following a routine traffic stop on the evening of March 2.

St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Randy Smith emphasized the parish’s no-tolerance stance against criminals seeking refuge within its bounds. “We are sending a strong message; St. Tammany Parish is no place for criminals to hide,” Sheriff Smith declared. “If you are wanted in another jurisdiction and found in St. Tammany Parish, we will arrest you.”

The suspect, Jimmerious Smith, aged 18, was captured while seated in the back of a 2020 Chrysler 300, stopped by a St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s criminal patrol deputy near the intersection of Highway 21 and Highway 59 in Covington. The stop was initiated after the deputy noticed the vehicle’s driver committing multiple traffic infractions.

Jimmerious Smith, identified through a full extradition warrant, is accused in connection with a shooting earlier this year outside of a basketball game at Bogalusa High School . The charges from the Bogalusa Police Department include attempted second-degree murder, illegal use of weapons, aggravated criminal damage, and possession of a firearm in a firearm-free zone.

Resisting initial identification, Smith also faces charges for failure to identify himself to law enforcement, under Louisiana Revised Statute 14:108.B.(1)(c). He has been booked into the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center, with a concealed firearm believed to be linked to the Bogalusa incident confiscated at the time of his arrest.

While the driver of the vehicle was cited for traffic violations and released, Smith’s arrest marks a significant step in local law enforcement’s efforts to maintain public safety and enforce the law.

Acting Assistant Bogalusa Police Chief, Troy Tervalon, announced that Smith would be transferred back to Bogalusa for booking. Meanwhile, Interim District Attorney Collin Sims said, “We will advance on evaluating all arrested participants for appropriate charges in our aggressive pursuit of cowards that target school events,” Sims stated, highlighting the community’s resolve against violence.

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