6-5-26
THE ARRESTED SUSPECT, WHO WAS ALLEGEDLY INVOLVED IN A CARJACKING, A HIGH-SPEED CHASE AND AN OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTING, HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS THIRTY-FIVE-YEAR-OLD DUSTY JOHNSON OF CROWLEY. AUTHORITIES SAY IT BEGAN WHEN HE DROVE A CHEVROLET TRAX TO A EUNICE RESIDENCE, THREATENED AND ATTEMPTED TO KIDNAP THE HOMEOWNER, THEN STOLE A G-M-C SIERRA. HE THEN ALLEGEDLY WENT TO A GAS STATION, FIRED ON A PATRON, STRUCK THE PATRON’S VEHICLE, THEN RETURNED TO THE EUNICE RESIDENCE WHERE HE STRUCK A VEHICLE IN THE DRIVEWAY AND SET FIRE TO THE CHEVROLET TRAX. POLICE SAY THAT WHEN EUNICE POLICE OFFICERS ARRIVED ON THE SCENE, JOHNSON FIRED ON THEM AND WAS STRUCK BY RETURNED FIRE. THEN HE FLED IN THE STOLEN G-M-C SIERRA.
LAFAYETTE POLICE HAVE MADE AN ARREST IN A MAY FIFTEENTH SHOOTING ON HOLLY STREET, NEAR CARMEL DRIVE AND EAST PINHOOK ROAD. A MAN CONFRONTED ANOTHER MAN WHO WAS ALLEGED TRYING TO BREAK INTO A VEHICLE AT HIS NEIGHBOR’S HOME. THE SUSPECT, TWENTY-SIX-YEAR-OLD DEMARKO ALFRED OF LAFAYETTE, THEN REPORTEDLY FIRED MULTIPLE SHOTS AT THE MAN, WHO MANAGED TO FLEE TO SAFETY. ALFRED HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED SECOND-DEGREE MURDER AND HIS BOND WAS SET AT ONE HUNDRED FIFTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS.
THE CALCASIEU PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE WILL BE USING DRONES. SHERIFF STITCH GUILLORY SAYS THE DRONE PROGRAM HAS BEEN OFFICIALLY INSTALLED AT THEIR LAW ENFORCEMENT SUBSTATIONS THROUGHOUT THE PARISH. GUILLORY SAYS THE DRONES WILL BE DEPLOYED TO CRIME SCENES AND EMERGENCY LOCATIONS WHEN THE NEED ARISES. THE DRONES WILL BE EQUIPPED WITH HIGH-DEFINITION CAMERAS AND THERMAL IMAGING TECHNOLOGY FOR NIGHTTIME OPERATIONS, GIVING REAL TIME AERIAL PERSPECTIVES TO DEPUTIES BEFORE THEY ARRIVE ON THE SCENE.
HOUSE BILL SIX-OH-EIGHT, WHICH WAS APPROVED BY THE LOUISIANA HOUSE AND SENATE, IS AWAITING REVIEW BY GOVERNOR JEFF LANDRY, WHO IS EXPECTED TO SIGN IT. THE BILL WOULD PRIVATIZE UNIVERSITY PAYMENTS TO STUDENT ATHLETES. THE BILL’S AUTHOR, REPRESENTATIVE TIM CHAISSON, SAYS IT AIMS TO PROTECT STUDENT ATHLETE PRIVACY WHILE PREVENTING ISSUES SUCH AS THE POACHING OF ATHLETES. IF APPROVED, INFORMATION ABOUT PAYMENTS TO STUDENT ATHLETES WOULD NOT BE RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC.
GOVERNOR JEFF LANDRY HAS VETOED A BILL THAT WOULD HAVE ALLOWED PRISONERS WRONGLY CONVICTED OF A CRIME TO GET MORE COMPENSATION FROM THE STATE. THE BILL, SPONSORED BY STATE SENATOR GERALD BOUDREAUX OF LAFAYETTE, PASSED UNANIMOUSLY IN THE STATE SENATE AND HOUSE. THE BILL WOULD HAVE INCREASED THE CAP THE STATE PAYS TO WRONGFULLY CONVICTED PEOPLE FROM FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND TO SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND. GOVERNOR LANDRY SAID IN A LETTER ABOUT THE VETO THAT THE STATE HAS NOT DONE ENOUGH TO ENSURE THE WRONGFUL COMPENSATION PROCESS IS FAIR AND PROTECTED AGAINST ABUSE.
THE SAINT LANDRY PARISH SCHOOL BOARD LEARNED THIS WEEK THAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS FACING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN DEBT AND THERE IS NO EASY FIX. THE FINANCE DIRECTOR TOLD THE BOARD THAT THE DISTRICT IS LIVING CHECK TO CHECK AND IS BLEEDING CASH. THE DISTRICT IS EXPECTED TO END THE FISCAL YEAR WITH NEARLY FOUR MILLION DOLLARS IN DEBT. SUPERINTENDENT MILTON BATISTE THE THIRD HAS SCHEDULED A BOARD RETREAT LATER THIS MONTH TO DEAL WITH THE CRISIS WHICH COULD LEAD TO SCHOOL CLOSURES, CONSOLIDATIONS AND MASS LAYOFFS.
LAFAYETTE BUSINESS OWNERS HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER THE BERTRAND DRIVE REVITALIZATION PROJECT WITH ITS EXTENDED TIMELINE AND THE ANTICIPATED NEGATIVE IMPACT ON BUSINESS REVENUES AND PROPERTY VALUES. MAYOR-PRESIDENT MONIQUE BOULET HAS PAUSED THE PROJECT IN ORDER TO GATHER PUBLIC INPUT AND FORMULATE APPROPRIATE CODE CHANGES. THE REVITALIZATION PROJECT, WHICH SPANS FROM BERTRAND DRIVE TO JOHNSTON STREET AND CAJUN FIELD, HAS GONE FROM A ONE YEAR TIMELINE TO THREE YEARS. LOCAL BUSINESSES NOW ANTICIPATE A FORTY PERCENT DROP IN REVENUES DURING THE CONSTRUCTION.
THE CITY OF JEANERETTE IS HOSTING THEIR SECOND ANNUAL NATIONAL GUN VIOLENCE AWARENESS EVENT THIS WEEKEND. GEORGE FAUST HAS THE DETAILS.
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