A July 4 pursuit that began in Terrytown concluded in a wreck on the streets of New Orleans, returning a familiar defendant to prison. According to Louisiana State Police, a 19-year-old Waggaman man who was already under court supervision in a deadly Northshore case was detained after reportedly leading troopers from Terrytown into New Orleans in a claimed stolen Dodge Challenger. The chase ended when the car collided with another vehicle inside the city, totaling it and wounding an occupant. Authorities have since charged the defendant with multiple offenses, and his probation officer has attempted to revoke the suspended sentence associated with his previous Slidell case.
According to NOLA.com, the suspect, 19-year-old Emon Starks of Waggaman, was arrested on July 4 for negligent injury, aggravated flight from an officer, possession of stolen property, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, reckless operation, and a probation violation. According to jail records, Starks was transported to the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna and is currently being held without bond. According to court documents obtained by NOLA.com, Starks was convicted in St. Tammany Parish to a 10-year suspended sentence with three years of active probation after pleading guilty in the 2024 incident.
The 2024 Slidell case began in the early hours of August 24, 2024, with an attempted heist and an exchange of gunfire that killed 19-year-old Stephen Sampson and resulted in the arrest and indictment of numerous suspects, including Starks, according to FOX8. That case has remained a focus point for North Shore investigators, and it is the court case that supports Starks’ current probation status.
According to Louisiana State Police, the July 4 pursuit started near Terrytown and ended at the intersection of General De Gaulle Drive and Holiday Drive in New Orleans. According to NOLA.com, the Challenger, which was reported stolen from St. Tammany Parish on June 19, collided with another vehicle at the crossing, totaling it and injuring one of its occupants. Troopers and local officers later discovered two people hiding near the crash site and detained them while the investigation proceeds.
Following the July arrest, Starks’ probation officer filed a motion to revoke his suspended sentence, and a revocation hearing is scheduled for August 19, 2026, according to court documents. If the judge revokes probation, the previously suspended 10-year term may be imposed. For the time being, Starks remains in custody as prosecutors determine whether to seek more charges in connection with the chase and crash.
Police and prosecutors say the investigation is still ongoing, and anyone with information should call Slidell police or the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The arrest brings a prisoner related to a high-profile Northshore death back into custody and demonstrates how rapidly probation may unravel when additional serious charges are filed.
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