Staff report

BEAUMONT – A driver pulled over on Interstate 10 in Orange early Sunday – he was intoxicated, Texas authorities say – was arrested in Louisiana after fleeing the arrest scene in Texas with the arresting officer’s vehicle.

A Texas Department of Public Safety trooper stopped Eric Parker, 28, of Denton at 1:30 a.m. in Orange. Parker was placed in the Texas trooper’s handcuffs in the trooper’s vehicle at the side of the interstate. But the arrested man was able to move his handcuffs “behind his back” and “positioned himself” behind the wheel of the trooper’s vehicle and made his escape, driving east into Louisiana, DPS said in an issued statement.

The Texas Department of Public Safety said Parker drove as far as Mile Marker 33 in Louisiana, where he apparently lost control of the trooper’s vehicle and struck a guardrail around 2 a.m. There, he was taken into custody by Lake Charles police, who had joined Orange police, the DPS and Louisiana State Police in pursuit of the trooper’s stolen vehicle.

Lake Charles police charged Parker with felony evading.

The DPS said additional charges were expected in Texas when the trooper’s investigation, which continued Monday, ends.

DPS spokeswoman Sgt. Stephanie Davis said an estimate of damages to the trooper’s vehicle was not available Monday.

She said authorities must still complete a case report and an affidavit about the case.