Marksville assault suspect arrested in Broussard

Marcellus Prier, 22, of Marksville was arrested Tuesday (Nov. 27) by Broussard P.D. officers in a chase-and-arrest incident that briefly required schools in Broussard to be placed on lockdown.

Prier was wanted on several Marksville warrants charging him with aggravated assault with a gun.

Broussard Police Chief Brannon Decou said there were weapons in the car that Prier was driving prior to ditching the vehicle and fleeing police on foot.

Decou said the pursuit began in Lafayette when a Lafayette City Marshal tried to arrest Prier. Prier led officers on a chase. A passenger in Prier’s Dodge Charger jumped out of the vehicle on Pinhook,

When Prier reached Broussard, he dumped the car and ran.

During the search for the suspect, who was declared to be “armed and dangerous,” Broussard Middle School and Katharine Drexel Elementary were placed on precautionary lockdown.

Prier was found hiding in an abandoned trailer and was arrested.

Decou said the arrest was a cooperative effort of his officers, the Lafayette City Marshal’s Office and Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office.

“We are all one team. We are all here to make sure we get the criminal element out of our communities,” Decou said. “It doesn’t matter whose community it is. We work together seamlessly to make sure our communities are safe.”

As of 5:30 p.m. today, Prier had not yet been transferred to Avoyelles Parish to be booked on the Marksville aggravated assault charges.