2-21-24
THE OPELOUSAS BOARD OF ALDERMEN ACCEPTED THE RESIGNATION OF POLICE OFFICER SAVANNAH BUTLER, WHO IS ACCUSED OF SHOOTING POLICE CHIEF GRAIG LEBLANC AND HIS WIFE, CRYSTAL, THREE DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS. BUTLER IS FACING CHARGES OF NEGLIGENT INJURY AND ILLEGAL DISCHARGE OF A FIREARM. SHE HAD REQUESTED THAT SHE RECEIVE MORE THAN SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS IN UNUSED LEAVE AND COMP TIME. THE BOARD DECIDED TO POSTPONE APPROVAL OF THE PAYMENT OVER QUESTIONS ABOUT DOCUMENTED HOURS.
LAFAYETTE POLICE SURROUNDED A HOUSE WITH A SUSPECTED STABBING SUSPECT YESTERDAY FOR THREE HOURS, ONLY TO FIND THE SUSPECT WAS NOT THERE. OFFICERS NOW BELIEVE THE SUSPECT LEFT THE HOME BEFORE POLICE ARRIVED. POLICE RESPONDED TO REPORTS OF A STABBING AT SIX-THIRTY IN THE MORNING AT A RESIDENCE ON SAINT CAMILLE STREET IN WHICH ONE PERSON WAS WOUNDED BUT THE INJURIES WERE NOT LIFE-THREATENING. POLICE THOUGHT THE SUSPECT HAD BARRICADED THEMSELF IN THE HOME AND A SWAT TEAM AND NEGOTIATOR TEAM WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE.
In an effort to subdue violent crimes, lawmakers have returned to the Capitol for a short special legislative session and are advancing a slew of Republican-authored tough-on-crime policies. The aggressive agenda could reshape parts of Louisiana’s criminal justice system and public safety sector. Under one bill, which received bipartisan support in a committee Tuesday and will advance to the House floor for debate, if someone is found guilty of carjacking, the minimum sentence would increase from two years to five. If the crime results in bodily injury, the offender would serve 20 to 30 years in jail without parole.
A DAYCARE OPERATOR IN JENNINGS WAS ARRESTED YESTERDAY FOR SENDING AN ALLEGEDLY FRAUDULENT INVOICE TO THE JEFF DAVIS PARISH SCHOOL BOARD. IN LATE DECEMBER, AN AUDITOR PROVIDED PAPERWORK TO SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES ABOUT THE INVOICE WHICH WAS PAID BY THE SCHOOL BOARD. DETECTIVES TRIED FOR SEVERAL WEEKS TO INTERVIEW THIRTY-NINE-YEAR-OLD TASSANY NICOLE MATTHEWS OF JENNINGS AND TO GET HER TO PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION FROM BANK STATEMENTS. SHE TURNED HERSELF INTO DETECTIVES YESTERDAY AND WAS BOOKED INTO THE PARISH JAIL ON A CHARGE OF FELONY THEFT.
STATE POLICE HAVE RELEASED NEW DETAILS REGARDING THEIR ONGOING INVESTIGATON INTO A SHOOTING INVOLVING A WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES AGENT. SYLVIA MASTERS REPORTS.
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THE LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL IS CONSIDERING A REQUEST TO BOOST L-U-S UTILITY RATES. THE RATE HIKES WOULD HELP PAY FOR THE BONIN GAS PLANT REDEVELOPMENT. THE PROPOSAL WOULD ADD A FIVE DOLLAR MONTHLY SERVICE CHARGE THROUGH TWENTY-TWENTY-SEVEN AND THE ELECTRIC RATE WOULD INCREASE BY TWELVE PERCENT. THE COUNCIL COULD VOTE ON APPROVING THE RATE HIKE IN TWO WEEKS.
Authorities have launched an investigation after a north Louisiana church attended by House Speaker Mike Johnson received mail containing a white powder. Johnson’s office acknowledged the receipt of a suspicious package at Cypress Baptist Church in Benton. Spokesman Griffin Neal said the FBI, U.S. Capitol Police, Louisiana State Police and the Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office are involved in the response. The FBI issued a statement saying a field test on the substance was negative, but more testing was planned.
A SECOND SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD HAS BEEN ARRESTED BY VERMILLION PARISH DEPUTIES IN CONNECTION WITH THE SHOOTING DEATH OF NINETEEN-YEAR-OLD DYLAN WALKER OF NEW IBERIA ON FEBRUARY EIGHTH. THE JUVENILE, WHOSE NAME HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED, IS BEING HELD IN THE LAFAYETTE JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER ON CHARGES OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER AND ARMED ROBBERY. HE’S BEING HELD WITHOUT BOND. THE TEEN HAS A CRIMINAL HISTORY INVOLVING THE ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF STOLEN GOODS.
