Natchez police and Adams County sheriff’s deputies helped arrest a Louisiana fugitive from justice early Friday morning — but not before the suspect hit three law enforcement vehicles and ran a police car off the road, Natchez&160;Police Chief Willie Huff said.

Deputies and police had picked up an already nearly two-hour long chase around 2 a.m. Friday.

In the end, police charged David L. Swain, 37, of 11559 Kirby Road in Denham Springs, La., with reckless driving and aggravated assault of a police officer. He is being held in the Natchez City Jail on $50,000 bond, Huff said.

&uot;We’re lucky no one was injured,&uot; Huff said. &uot;There was light traffic, but he was certainly a danger to the public.&uot;

Corp. Don Kelly, public relations officer for the Baton Rouge Police Department, said Baton Rouge police began the chase just before midnight Thursday. Officers believed the 1991 white Ford Probe Swain was driving had been stolen, Kelly said. Later they determined he was not authorized to use the car.

The chase continued from Baton Rouge up U.S. 61 through St. Francisville, Woodville and Natchez.

&uot;Technically we were in pursuit, but as far as pursuits go it wasn’t a wild one,&uot; said Kelly, who said one officer said officers followed at about 65 mph. &uot;They were pretty much just following him and keeping him in sight.&uot;

When the chase got to the Adams County line and Natchez city limits, Huff said Adams County deputies and Natchez police joined the pursuit.

At one point Swain was driving in the wrong lane, Huff said, so officers stopped traffic in the southbound lane of U.S. 61. But Swain turned around twice before officers and deputies tried to block his car in a service station parking lot at U.S. 61 and Beltline Highway, Huff said.

&uot;He hit a deputy’s unit with his car,&uot; Huff said. &uot;There was minor damage, but the deputy was not injured.&uot;

Swain drove away, Huff said, then forced one Natchez Police car off the road. That car hit a breakaway light pole, but the officer was not injured. The car was left undriveable, Huff said.

Deputies and officers then caught up with Swain in the Tracetown Shopping Center parking lot and tried to block him in, Huff said.

There, Huff said, Swain intentionally hit two other police cars and headed back down U.S. 61 South.

So a Natchez police officer shot at Swain’s right rear tire, blowing it out, Huff said.

&uot;He continued on the flat for about 8 miles before he lost control of the vehicle and hit a median,&uot;&160;Huff said.

Officers were finally able to arrest him, Huff said.

Both Huff and Kelly said such an long chase is unusual.

&uot;It’s very unusual,&uot; Kelly said. &uot;I can only think of two or three times in the last 14 years that this has happened.&uot;