Deputies find cocaine after driver crashes following two-county chase

ORANGE COUNTY-By: Leslie Rangel Law enforcement officers arrested 2 men after finding more than two pounds of cocaine in a car following a two-county chase along a 15 mile stretch of I-10. The chase ended when the driver crashed into a concrete pillar on the I-10 service road at Highway 12 in Orange County. It all began at around 9:30 Thursday morning, near Ford Park, when deputies tried to pull over a driver for not wearing a seat belt. Jefferson County deputy Rod Carroll says the suspects fled reaching more than 120 miles an hour. These guys were passing on the shoulder, they were passing any way they could, squeezing in between 18 wheelers, Carroll said. No drivers were hurt, expect those in the fleeing SUV. They had absolutely no concern for other life, their whole thing is to try and get away, Carroll says. The car crashed into a pillar going at least 90 miles an hour, according to deputies. The driver then tried to run from authorities but deputies quickly arrested him. A passenger was treated for a broken leg and the driver had bruising. Deputies say no innocent people were injured. The Florida men were transported to Christus Hospital Saint Elizabeth and are facing charges including traffic violations, evading arrest and possession of a substance. ORANGE COUNTY - Law enforcement officers arrested a man after finding more than two pounds of cocaine in a car following a two-county chase that ended when the driver crashed into a concrete pillar on the I-10 service road at Highway 12 in Orange County. Jefferson County Deputy Rod Carroll says the driver of a car with Florida license plates committed a traffic violation and sped away from Jefferson County deputies and Beaumont Police near I-10 and Walden Road shortly before 10 a.m. Thursday. The chase ended within about 30 minutes when the driver crashed into a concrete pillar on the I-10 service road at Highway 12 in Orange County, where he was surrounded by Jefferson and Orange County deputies. The driver wasn't hurt but investigators say the passenger may have suffered a broken leg.