VPPD arrests two Bunkie men after reports of shots fired Friday

Saturday morning, Ville Platte Chief Neal Lartigue reported the arrest of 23-year-old Devin Winzer, of Bunkie, in connection with an incident where shots were fired on Harvey LeBas St. Friday night.
The following is a press release from the Ville Platte Police
Department regarding this incident:
“On October 26, 2018, at approximately 7:30 p.m., officers with the Ville Platte Police Department responded to a report of shots fired on Harvey LeBas Street in Ville Platte. As officers arrived on Harvey LeBas Street, they observed a large crowd gathered in the street. As they approached the crowd, officers observed a black male exit a white car and as he neared the back of the vehicle, point a hand gun towards the crowd of people. As officers gave verbal commands for the suspect to drop the weapon, the suspect jumped back inside the vehicle.
Officers were able to physically remove the suspect from the vehicle and place him under arrest.
Devin Winzer, 23, of 110 Orange Street in Bunkie, was arrested and charged with felony aggravated assault with a firearm and possession of a firearm in a school zone and possession of a firearm in the presence of a controlled dangerous substance.
Winzer was transferred to the Evangeline Parish Jail on a $120,000.00 bond.
The city police reported on Wednesday the arrest of another suspect involved in the matter.
According to a second press release from the Ville Platte Police Department, while officers were attempting to disarm Winzer, the second suspect “climbed into the driver’s seat of the suspect vehicle and attempted to flee the area.”
The press release continued, “An officer gave verbal commands for the driver to stop and as the driver continued to drive away, the officer pursued the vehicle on foot. The driver then turned the vehicle around struck the officer.
“An Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s deputy arrived and after a short pursuit located the vehicle abandoned nearby.”
The second suspect was identified as Darius R. Smith, 18, of 804 Chennaut Street in Bunkie.
According to the press release, Smith turned himself into the Ville Platte Police Department “and was booked on one count of aggravated battery (felony), one count aggravated flight from an officer (felony), one count driver must be licensed and one count of interfering in law enforcement investigation. Smith was transferred to the Evangeline Parish Jail on a bond totaling $107,500.00 set by Judge Chuck R. West.”
Chief Neal Lartigue reminds everyone to report suspicious or illegal activity by calling the Ville Platte Police Department at 363-1313. Your call will remain anonymous.