ABBEVILLE – A man fleeing police crashed a pickup truck, injuring the three children who were in it when he grabbed it off a gas station lot.

Police said Terrance Mouton was fleeing them on foot after several alleged acts of domestic violence on his wife when he stole the pickup at Valero at La. 14 Bypass and State Street. The owner of the truck was inside paying for fuel at the time.

Abbeville Patrolman Bill Spearman was across the street from Valero and spotted Mouton running across a field and allegedly saw him get into the GMC, take off and run the red light at the intersection. Spearman was unable to chase Mouton because he got blocked in at Valero.

Seconds after Mouton fled, Sgt. Jonathan Touchet arrived at Valero. He took off in his patrol car in the direction Mouton was traveling (west down the bypass). Sgt. Touchet got to the intersection of Hwy. 167 and the bypass and was unable to locate the vehicle Mouton was in. Sgt. Mouton had a choice - go straight, take a left or take a right on Hwy. 167. He went right on Hwy. 167 towards Maurice. About a mile down the road, he arrived on the scene of a single car accident.

Sgt. Touchet saw that the GMC truck went off the road for unknown reasons and slammed into a tree and bounced back onto the shoulder of Hwy. 167. Sgt. Touchet got down and began hustling to the wrecked vehicle, when at the corner of his eye, he sees what looks like the suspect in another vehicle on the shoulder of Hwy. 167.

Apparently, Mouton escaped serious injuries, got out of the wrecked vehicle, walked up to vehicle that had stopped to help. He got into the second SUV and was trying to convince them to take him to Maurice, which is what Sgt. Mouton saw.

Sgt. Touchet pulled Mouton out of the car and handcuffed him. Mouton was taken to a hospital in Lafayette where he remains as of Monday morning. Abbeville police have an officer with Mouton until he is released.

The children, all under 12, had moderate injuries. One child is suffering from two broken legs.

Mouton is facing charges of domestic abuse battery by strangulation, 2nd degree kidnapping, aggravated assault, battery of a police officer, resisting an officer with force or violence, two counts of carjacking, three counts of aggravated kidnapping, red light violation, and reckless violation. He also had an outstanding warrant for domestic abuse battery by strangulation.