COVINGTON, La. (AP) - Authorities in Louisiana arrested a 21-year-old man Tuesday who confessed to shooting his mother to death hours before leading officers on a chase that hit speeds of 130 mph (209 kph).
DaRius Sims was awaiting extradition from St. Tammany Parish to Jefferson Parish on Wednesday on a second-degree murder charge, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office said. He’s accused of fatally shooting his 61-year-old mother, Jeanette Collins, in the chest Monday night.
The chain of events began around 8:30 p.m., when Collins’ daughter, Chandreica Marshall, was driving Collins, Sims and two other relatives near Harahan, according to an account from the sheriff’s office. Authorities said Sims became angry and demanded something to drink.
Marshall told investigators she stopped the car and Collins stepped out to hand Sims a bottle of water. That’s when Sims grabbed a gun from his waistband and fired at Collins, authorities said. He then ran nearly 2 miles (3 kilometers) to his home in Metairie, took a relative’s car and sped away.
Sims was stopped by officers after he hit a curb on the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway early Tuesday, Causeway General Manager Carlton Dufrechou said.
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