Case manager chases down boy with a car

Stormy Schneegas thought he witnessed a child abduction in his front yard Wednesday afternoon, but it turned out to be a wayward boy from a nearby group home.

Still, Schneegas isn't pleased that the man from the group home chased the boy down with a car, driving into his yard and onto his sidewalk on Rochelle Drive near Alder Drive.

"Some guy from a group home tried to run over a kid from the group home," Schneegas said of the 2 p.m. commotion while pointing out the tire tracks in the yard indicating that the car narrowly missed his truck and van parked on the street. "The kid was right in front of his bumper."

Schneegas called 911 and at the same time confronted the group home employee who got out of his car at the corner of Schneegas' home. The man stopped in his tracks, but not the boy. He used the distraction to take off running, but it was a short run, Schneegas said.

The man got back into his car and blocked the boy in, snatching him up and putting him in his car.

Lafayette police stopped the car on Ninth Street just north of Teal Road.

After sorting through the situation, police said the boy tried to leave the group home and his case manager followed him in his car. Officers confirmed that no crimes were committed and sent them on their way, police said.

Back at Rochelle Drive, police informed Schneegas of the particulars of this chase.

Schneegas remained critical of the tactics used by the case manager, whom Schneegas described as overweight, which might account for why he used a car to chase down the boy.

"The guy should not have anything to do with a group home," Schneegas said. "You should not chase a kid down with a car."