[StBernard] St. Bernard Parish sheriff's deputy injured during pursuit of New Orleans man

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard Parish sheriff's deputy injured during pursuit of New Orleans
man
  By Benjamin Alexander-Bloch, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune 
on March 14, 2013 at 5:47 PM, updated March 14, 2013 at 6:19 PM Print

A St. Bernard Parish sheriff's deputy was taken to the hospital on Thursday
morning after a New Orleans man crashed into the driver's side of the
deputy's vehicle during a car pursuit in Chalmette, according to the
Sheriff's Office. The deputy, who was treated at Tulane Medical Center, only
had minor injuries, Sheriff Jimmy Pohlmann said.

Torraino Johnson, 28, who fled on foot about 8:30 a.m. after the collision,
ran to a junkyard off Paris Road near Nunez Community College and then
reached into his waistband and began pulling out a gun, Pohlmann said. A
deputy fired one shot at the suspect, which authorities said hit a sheet
metal fence that surrounds the junkyard on East Liberaux Street.

Following the shot, the suspect threw the gun over the fence and then
surrendered to the deputies, according to Pohlmann. Pohlmann said that
several onlookers witnessed the altercation.

Johnson was booked with attempted murder of three police officers, which
includes the deputy injured in the crash and the two deputies pursuing
Johnson when he pulled the gun from his waist band.

St. Bernard Sheriff's Office spokesman Steve Cannizaro said that sheriff's
personnel later discovered the semi-automatic handgun in the junkyard.
Pohlmann said that gun had been reported stolen in New Orleans.

"I spoke to him (Johnson) and one of the things he said was he had been shot
once previously," Pohlmann said. "He also said he never expected to live to
be 28 being involved in the business of weapons and drugs that he has been
in.

Johnson was treated at the scene for minor injuries received in the car
crash and was taken to Interim LSU Public Hospital, better known as
University Hospital, in New Orleans to be examined and then was brought to
the St. Bernard Parish Prison.

Johnson, who is from New Orleans but had been living with a woman on Amour
Drive in Chalmette, is on probation after serving time in federal prison for
weapons and drug charges, officials said.

Johnson also was booked with being a convicted felon in possession of a
firearm, possession of a stolen firearm, flight from an officer, and
resisting arrest, along with numerous traffic offenses including reckless
operation of a vehicle, according to the Sheriff's Office.


He was being held on Thursday evening in St. Bernard Parish Prison without
bond pending an appearance before a judge.

Cannizaro said that sheriff's dogs would canvas the junkyard to see if any
drugs are there, as sheriff's officials believe Johnson may have been in the
parish dealing drugs.

As a result of the incident, northbound traffic on Paris Road was
temporarily diverted to one lane.

This story, originally published on Thursday morning, was updated at 5:45
p.m. Thursday to include new charges against Johnson.