From the Daily Advertiser of January 27, 2009
Armed home owner helps police capture alleged car thief
Lafayette Police officers arrested an alleged armed car thief after they say a homeowner helped capture the man.
The suspect, Joseph Noel, 25, of Lafayette, was arrested and faces charges of resisting an officer, flight from an officer, carjacking, obstruction of justice, possession of a firearm by a felon and unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling.
The happened Monday around 8:34 p.m. when Noel, wearing a Halloween mask, allegedly approached a victim in the 100 block of Fairway Street and took possession of his vehicle at gunpoint.
After the suspect sped from the area, the victim immediately contacted the police.
A police later spotted the vehicle near the intersection of Ambassador Caffery Parkway and Eraste Landry Road.
When the officer attempted to stop the vehicle, Noel continued to speed to elude capture.
The suspect was followed onto the 300 block of Strasburg, where the suspect lost control of his vehicle and struck a vehicle parked in a yard.
The suspect exited the vehicle and was pursued by the officer on foot.
The officer lost sight of the suspect, but received information that a black male armed with a gun had forced open the door at a residence in the 200 block of Strasburg.
The home owner observed Noel inside of the residence and immediately armed himself.
While the suspect attempted to remove clothing, the home owner was able to hold the suspect at gunpoint until police arrived.