Tuxedo-wearing groom 'SHOOTS bride's male friend on wedding night while stuck in Louisiana traffic jam after suspecting they had affair'
Devin Jose Jones, 30, was arrested and charged on his wedding night for allegedly shooting a male friend whom he suspected of sleeping with his bride. Another motorist was shot after being hit by a stray bullet, police say
A groom still wearing a tuxedo on his wedding night shot a friend of the bride he suspected of having an affair with his new wife - and wounded another motorist - during a wild foot chase on a traffic-clogged New Orleans highway, Louisiana officials said.
Devin Jose Jones, 30, was in a car with his bride, Zenada Williams, and her friend on the Bonnet Carre Spillway after the newlyweds said their vows when traffic came to a standstill due to an accident around 10:45pm on Saturday night.
While in the bumper-to-bumper traffic, a verbal argument broke out in the car with Jones accusing the friend of being romantically involved with his new wife.
According to investigators, the inebriated Jones pulled out a gun and the unidentified friend bolted out of the vehicle.
Witnesses told police they saw an armed man in a tuxedo chasing another man in between cars on the interstate about 10 miles west of New Orleans, according to L’Observateur.
The enraged Jones unleashed a barrage of bullets, hitting the bride’s friend in the leg. Another bullet pierced the glass of a nearby car and struck the motorist in the hand.
The terrified bride ran toward an ambulance responding to the accident on the highway and told the paramedics that her new husband was trying to kill her.
Devin Jose Jones, 30, was in a car with his bride, Zenada Williams, and her friend on the Bonnet Carre Spillway at mile post 210 driving westbound at around 10:45pm on Saturday night when traffic came to a standstill due to an accident nearby. Jones and Williams are seen in this photo from June 14
Williams is seen above in her wedding dress on Saturday. The wedding was held in Kenner, Louisiana
Williams, still wearing her wedding gown according to witnesses, barricaded herself inside the ambulance while Jones tried to force his way into the vehicle, cops said.
Deputies from the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office arrived on the scene to find Jones reportedly shaking and banging on the ambulance in an effort to get to Williams before arresting him.
Jones has been charged with attempted second degree murder, illegal use of weapons or dangerous instrumentalities, aggravated second degree battery, and two counts of aggravated damage to criminal property.
The two shooting victims were airlifted to University Medical Center in New Orleans. They were listed in stable condition.
A multi-vehicle accident on Interstate 10 outside New Orleans took place just before 11pm on Saturday
While standing in bumper-to-bumper traffic, a verbal argument breaks out in the car with Jones suspecting his friend of being romantically involved with his new wife
Brad Meinke, a motorist who says he was about a mile away from the scene of the shooting, wrote on Facebook: 'I was stuck on the spillway last night for 3 hours' due to a car accident. He posted this image of the traffic jam
The multicar accident and the shootings forced investigators to shut down Interstate 10 for hours while they collected evidence.
On social media, frustrated motorists posted images of the massive traffic jam.
Brad Meinke, a motorist who says he was about a mile away from the scene of the shooting, wrote on Facebook: 'I was stuck on the spillway last night for 3 hours' due to a car accident.
'The car right behind the car accident (newly weds) had been arguing and the pissed off man gets out his car and randomly starts shooting at other cars behind him!
'Not sure how bad the people involved in the accident are but I do know that 2 people were shot, one in the arm and one in the leg.
Another witness, Brian Chappell Jr., wrote on Facebook.'There is a bad accident that shut the bridge down and while the accident was being handled, someone got out of their vehicle and started approaching other vehicles and shooting innocent people sitting in their cars stuck in traffic!'
'We are currently still sitting in dead stop traffic while police are trying to locate the active shooter.'
Cheri Faucheux wrote on Facebook: 'So supposedly there was a wreck on the spillway tonight and a just married couple still in wedding dress and tux were in the traffic and started fighting.'
Another motorist, Corchelle A. Walker, wrote: 'Thank you Lord for watching over me and my babies on that bonnet carre spillway after sitting in traffic for over 3 hours due to a shooting & a couple accidents. We made it home safely.'
'There is a bad accident that shut the bridge down and while the accident was being handled, someone got out of their vehicle and started approaching other vehicles and shooting innocent people sitting in their cars stuck in traffic!' Brian Chappell Jr. wrote on Facebook
Chappell added: ‘I have my .45 with me, on my lap and ready to defend myself or anyone around me if need be!"
Cheri Faucheux wrote on Facebook: 'So supposedly there was a wreck on the spillway tonight and a just married couple still in wedding dress and tux were in the traffic and started fighting.
'So the groom gets out of the car and starts shooting other people in their cars in the traffic.'
Another motorist, Corchelle A. Walker, wrote: 'Thank you Lord for watching over me and my babies on that bonnet carre spillway after sitting in traffic for over 3 hours due to a shooting & a couple accidents.
'We made it home safely.'