6-16-15
SETH FONTENOT OF LAFAYETTE WILL BE SENTENCED ON JULY EIGHTH FOR SHOOTING AND KILLING 15-YEAR-OLD AUSTIN RIVAULT IN FEBRUARY OF 2013 AND WOUNDING TWO OTHER TEENAGERS. FONTENOT HAD BEEN CHARGED WITH FIRST DEGREE MURDER AND TWO COUNTS OF ATTEMPTED FIRST DEGREE MURDER, BUT A JURY IN MARCH CONVICTED HIM OF MANSLAUGHTER AND TWO COUNTS OF AGGRAVATED BATTERY. FONTENOT TESTIFIED THAT HE THOUGHT THE TEENS WERE TRYING TO BREAK INTO HIS PICKUP TRUCK AND HAD FIRED THE SHOTS TO SCARE THEM AWAY. FONTENOT COULD GET UP TO FORTY YEARS IN PRISON.
Federal prosecutors say a Lake Charles man and a Texas man have pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from Lake Charles to Houston.
On Monday U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced the guilty pleas of Chumphai Bob Mireles, 52, of Lake Charles, and Michael Wayne Giese, 37, of Pearland, Texas. Finley says they entered conditional guilty pleas to one count of conspiracy to distribute or possess with intent to distribute controlled dangerous substances. Authorities say Mireles was arrested after he purchased methamphetamine from Giese in Houston last July.
THE BREAUX BRIDGE YOUTH SPORTS CAMP, HELD AT BREAUX BRIDGE ELEMENTARY, WAS CLOSED YESTERDAY BECAUSE OF THE DEATH OF THE CAMP DIRECTOR. 23-YEAR-OLD BIANCA DAVIS OF CECILIA WAS HIT BY A STRAY BULLET OUTSIDE THE CASINO LOUNGE IN ST. MARTINVILLE AND DIED SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT. TWO OTHERS WERE WOUNDED, AND POLICE ARRESTED TWIN BROTHERS JAKIL AND JAMIR SOPHUS OF NEW IBERIA ON SUNDAY. THE CAMP WILL REOPEN TODAY AND COUNSELORS IN THE ST. MARTIN PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM WILL BE ON HAND TO HELP CHILDREN WHO MAY BE HAVING DIFFICULTY DEALING WITH DAVIS’ DEATH.
The chairman of the state House tax committee says lawmakers shouldn’t have trouble defending tax votes they took in the just-ended legislative session. Rep. Joel Robideaux, a Lafayette Republican, said Monday the decisions made by lawmakers helped protect public health care services and higher education.
Lawmakers raised taxes and scaled back tax breaks to raise more than $700 million for the upcoming $24 billion budget. Business groups have suggested lawsuits may be filed against some of the legislation, raising questions about whether they were properly passed and whether they improperly change already-granted tax credits.
PATRICK LEONARD ANNOUNCED THAT HE WILL BE RETIRING AS LAFAYETTE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL EFFECTIVE AT THE END OF THE MONTH. LEONARD SPENT A TOTAL OF 21 YEARS AT THE SCHOOL, THE LAST TWELVE AS ITS PRINCIPAL. LEONARD SAYS THE TIME IS RIGHT TO LEAVE, BECAUSE OF A NEW PLAN LAID OUT BY SUPERINTENDENT DONALD AGUILLARD. HE TELLS THE ADVOCATE HE WOULD NEED TO STAY AT THE SCHOOL FOR TWO MORE YEARS AND, AT AGE 69, HE DOESN’T FEEL HE HAS THE ENERGY TO COMMIT TO THAT.
TWO MEN HAVE TOLD A JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI NEWSPAPER THAT FELIX VAIL TOLD THEM HE KILLED HIS FIRST WIFE. VAIL GOES ON TRIAL AUGUST 17TH IN LAKE CHARLES FOR THE DEATH OF MARY VAIL IN 1962, WHO, AT THE TIME, WAS BELIEVED TO HAVE ACCIDENTALLY DROWNED IN THE CALCASIEU RIVER. BRUCE BEIDEBACH TELLS THE CLARION LEDGER THAT HE AND FELIX VAIL WERE SHARING PSYCHEDELIC DRUGS IN THE 1960’S IN CALIFORNIA WHEN FELIX TOLD HIM THAT HE HAD DROWNED HIS WIFE. ROB FREMONT TOLD THE PAPER THAT VAIL TOLD HIM TWICE ABOUT KILLING HIS WIFE BACK IN 1969.
ST. LANDRY PARISH DEPUTIES MADE AN ARREST IN A DOUBLE SHOOTING IN EUNICE. JULIE DARCE HAS THE DETAILS.
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A company passed over by the Jindal administration to run the state’s self-insurance program claims it suffered bias in its losing bid. The Advocate reports that York Risk Services Group is challenging the award of the $80 million, three-year contract to Memphis, Tenn.-based Sedgwick Claims Management Services.
York is the current contractor, doing business through one of its companies, Mandeville-based FARA. The challenge is now before the Commissioner of Administration Kristy Nichols, but the newspaper reports that it could end up in state court if there’s not a resolution satisfactory to York.
