Opelousas Man Accused of Making Traffic Stop So Much Worse

A traffic stop turned into a stay in the St. Landry Parish Jail Friday for 59-year-old Donovan K. Hudson of Opelousas after he allegedly fought with the sheriff's deputy who pulled him over and who eventually tasered him during the arresting process.

The incident began at a traffic light at the I-49 Service Road and Creswell Lane intersection when Hudson's SUV stopped next to the deputy in the left turn only lane, drove from the left lane, ran the red light, crossed the right lane and made an illegal right turn - without signalling - in front of the deputy and another driver before heading west on Creswell Lane.

mugshot from St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office

According to the press release from the St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office, the deputy pulled over Hudson's SUV on Jake Drive. During the traffic stop, the report says Hudson ignored commands and reached inside the driver's side of the vehicle. That's when the deputy says Hudson continued to ignore commands and allegedly began making several racist comments to the deputy, as well as aggressive movements towards the deputy.

As the incident went on, the deputy says Hudson then tried to go back to his vehicle and put his left hand in his front pants pockets, which led to the deputy trying to restrain Hudson, who allegedly continued to resist and to shout obscenities at the officer. After eventually trying to handcuff Hudson, the deputy used a tazer on Hudson, which did not work. Opelousas Police officers then arrived on scene to help the deputy as Hudson allegedly continued to use racial comments and insensitive words towards the deputy.

Sheriff Bobby Guidroz says the whole incident was caught on the deputy's dashboard camera.

“If you are stopped for a traffic violation or subject to an arrest, it is imperative that you comply with the officer’s commands," said Sheriff Guidroz. "If you feel the officer acted unprofessionally, you should contact the agency to file your grievance. Resisting arrest is not safe for the deputy or yourself."

"Additionally, everyone should know most law-enforcement officers today are equipped with dash board and body cameras to ensure the safety of the civilians, the accuracy of the incident, and the accountability and professionalism of the deputy. Those are the primary reasons why I insist our deputies adhere to policies and procedures concerning the use of audio and video equipment.”

As for how the deputy handled the incident, Sheriff Guidroz was pleased.

“I viewed the dash cam video of the entire incident and I can say my deputy was professional, polite, patient, and attempted several times to de-escalate the incident," pointed out Sheriff Guidroz. "This was a simple traffic stop that could have been resolved very quickly, if only the motorist would have obeyed simple instructions."

Hudson was booked on the following charges: