12-15-23
LAFAYETTE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING A DEADLY CRASH INVOLVING A BICYCLIST. SYLVIA MASTERS REPORTS.
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AN OPELOUSAS MAN HAS BEEN ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH A VACANT HOUSE FIRE THAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY MORNING ON WEST WILLOW STREET IN LAFAYETTE. THE HOUSE SUSTAINED HEAVY FIRE DAMAGE. LAFAYETTE PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES AND LAFAYETTE POLICE IDENTIFIED REGINALD RIGGS AS HAVING OCCUPIED THE STRUCTURE, AND HE’S BEEN CHARGED WITH SIMPLE ARSON AND UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY. THE OWNER OF THE HOUSE SAYS THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL TIMES THAT HOMELESS PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN INTO THE STRUCTURE.
LOUISIANA STATE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING A HEAD-ON COLLISION IN EVANGELINE PARISH YESTERDAY MORNING THAT CLAIMED THE LIFE OF AN OAKDALE WOMAN. AT AROUND SEVEN A-M THURSDAY, LUCAS LEMAIRE OF FRANKLIN WAS TRAVELING WEST ON L-A TEN IN A CHEVY SILVERADO WHEN HE CROSSED THE CENTER LINE AND HIT A FORD ESCAPE DRIVEN BY SEVENTY-FIVE-YEAR-OLD EDDIE BRUNSON OF OAKDALE. SHE WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AND LATER DIED. LEMAIRE SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES.
BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD OF LOUISIANA FILED A NEW APPLICATION THURSDAY WITH THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE TO RE-ORGANIZE INTO A FOR-PROFIT COMPANY. THAT WOULD ALLOW BLUE CROSS TO BE PURCHASED BY INDIANAPOLIS-BASED ELEVANCE HEALTH. THIS COMES JUST TWO MONTHS AFTER BLUE CROSS TABLED THE ORIGINAL PLAN TO SELL ITSELF ELEVANCE, ONE OF THE NATION’S LARGEST INSURANCE COMPANIES. THE DEAL RAN INTO TROUBLE ORIGINALLY WHEN STATE LEGISLATORS QUESTIONED THE TRACK RECORD OF ELEVANCE AND GOVERNOR-ELECT JEFF LANDRY OPPOSED THE DEAL.
ANOTHER PERSON HAS BEEN INDICTED AS A RESULT OF AN INVESTIGATION INTO BRIBERY AT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE IN LAFAYETTE. FEDERAL PROSECUTORS ACCUSE LEAONARD FRANQUES OF BRIBING DUSTIN GUIDRY, WHO OVERSAW A PRETRIAL DIVERSION PROGRAM IN THE D-A’S OFFICE. GUIDRY AND ANOTHER HIGH-RANKING PUBLIC OFFICIAL, WHO WAS NOT IDENTIFIED, ALLEGEDLY HELPED FRANQUES GET CONTRACTS FOR HIS BUSINESS TO PROVIDE HUNTER AND BOATER EDUCATION CLASSES. THE CLASSES WERE REQUIRED TO RESOLVE VIOLATIONS ISSUED BY THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES.
ONE PERSON WAS WOUNDED IN A SHOOTING IN BREAUX BRIDGE LAST NIGHT. AUTHORITIES ON THE SCENE INVESTIGATING THE SHOOTING RELEASED NO DETAILS. A WOMAN IN A HOUSE NEAR THE SHOOTING TOLD KLFY TV THAT HER TWENTY-YEAR-OLD NEPHEW WAS THE VICTIM IN THE SHOOTING. THE POLICE HAVE NOT RELEASED THE CONDITION OF THE VICTIM.
THE STATE OF LOUISIANA NEEDS TO COME UP WITH A PLAN TO REPLACE THE I-TEN BRIDGE IN LAKE CHARLES OR THEY STAND TO LOSE ONE HUNDRED FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS IN FEDERAL FUNDING. THAT’S ACCORDING TO THE FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, WHICH SENT A LETTER WEDNESDAY TO STATE TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY ERIC KALIVODA. STATE SENATOR MARK ABRAHAM OF LAKE CHARLES SAYS HE IS WORKING WITH GOVERNOR ELECT JEFF LANDRY TO MEET THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT’S DEADLINE. ABRAHAM, WHO IS ON THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, TELLS THE ADVOCATE THAT HE’S NOT WORRIED ABOUT LOSING FEDERAL FUNDING FOR THE BRIDGE BECAUSE HE IS CERTAIN OFFICIALS WILL SETTLE ON A FUNDING PLAN WITHIN THE ALLOTED TIMEFRAME.
POLICE OFFICERS PATROLLING IN SOUTH CROWLEY EARLY THURSDAY MORNING HEARD SHOTS FIRED AT THE SHADY OAKS APARTMENT COMPLEX AND THEN SAW A MAROON NISSAN ALTIMA DRIVEN FROM THE AREA AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THE POLICE PURSUED AND THE DRIVER OF THE ALTIMA KEPT FLEEING UNTIL PULLING OVER NEAR EAST CEDAR AND SOUTH AVENUE K. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER, WHO ALLEGEDLY TOSSED TWO FIREARMS OUT OF THE VEHICLE DURING THE PURSUIT, WERE ARRESTED ON SEVERAL CHARGES INCLUDING ILLEGAL DISCHARGE OF WEAPONS. OFFICERS INVESTIGATING THE AREA OF THE SHOOTING FOUND ELEVEN SPENT NINE MILLEMETER CASINGS.
