6-8-21
THE IBERIA PARISH CORONER SAYS A NEW IBERIA WOMAN MAY HAVE DIED BECAUSE OF BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA TO THE HEAD. THE BODY OF FIFTY-ONE-YEAR-OLD KITTY RIDEAUX WAS FOUND FRIDAY NIGHT BEHIND AN ABANDONED HOUSE ON LOMBARD STREET IN NEW IBERIA. POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING THE DEATH OF RIDEAUX AS A HOMOCIDE. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ON THE DEATH IS ASKED TO CONTACT THE NEW IBERIA POLICE DEPARTMENT.
IN A SPECIAL MEETING LAST NIGHT, THE BROUSSARD CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO MAKE VANCE OLIVIER THE INTERIM POLICE CHIEF. OLIVIER, WHO HAS MORE THAN THIRTY YEARS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT EXPERIENCE, COMES FROM THE LAFAYETTE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHERE HE WAS A LIEUTENANT OF THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT. OLIVIER REPLACES BRANNON DECOU WHO RETIRED WHEN HE BECAME A TARGET IN A SEXUAL HARASSMENT INVESTIGATION. OLIVIER’S FIRST DAY WILL BE MONDAY, AND HE PLANS ON RUNNING FOR THE FULL TIME POSITION IN THE NEXT POLICE CHIEF ELECTION, WHICH TAKES PLACE IN THE FALL OF NEXT YEAR.
Republican legislators sent Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards two bills to keep state and local government agencies from mandating the coronavirus vaccine to receive certain services. Rep. Danny McCormick’s proposal would ban agencies from refusing to give a permit or license to someone based on a business’ decision that it won’t require the coronavirus vaccine for employees or customers. Rep. Kathy Edmonston’s proposal would prohibit the Office of Motor Vehicles from requiring someone to be vaccinated to get a driver’s license or putting immunization information on a license. Edwards hasn’t taken a position on the legislation.
JENNINGS POLICE ARE SEARCHING FOR A MAN WANTED FOR THREE COUNTS OF ATTEMPTED FIRST DEGREE MURDER. TWENTY-FIVE-YEAR-OLD JEREMY FREENEY IS ACCUSED OF DRIVING UP TO A HOME IN JENNINGS SUNDAY EVENING AND SHOOTING AT A MAN WITH WHOM HE REPORTEDLY HAD BEEN FEUDING. FREENEY WAS ALREADY WANTED BY POLICE FOR A DOMESTIC DISPUTE WITH A WOMAN ON MCKINLEY STREET WHERE FREENEY BROKE AWAY FROM POLICE AND ALLEGEDLY DISCARDED A WEAPON AND SOME DRUGS. FREENEY IS CONSIDERED ARMED AND DANGEROUS SO POLICE CHIEF DANNY SIMMES SAYS, IF YOU KNOW WHERE HE IS, CALL POLICE. DON’T APPROACH HIM YOURSELF.
THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION OF LOUISIANA HAS FILED A LAWSUIT BASED ON ALLEGATIONS BY POLICE LIEUTENANT MICHAEL DUNN AGAINST THE CHIEF, THE CITY AND OTHER EMPLOYEES. SYLVIA MASTERS HAS THE DETAILS.
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GOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS HAS SIGNED A BILL INTO LAW ALLOWING THE LAFAYETTE CITY MARSHAL TO POCKET FEES PAID BY CITIZENS. THE LAW WOULD ALLOW THE MARSHAL TO KEEP FEES UP TO HALF HIS SALARY, OR A MAXIMUM OF FORTY-FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS. THE REST WOULD HAVE TO BE USED RUN THE MARSHAL’S OFFICE. FORMER CITY MARSHAL BRIAN POPE WAS INDICTED FOR POCKETING FEES AND FACES TRIAL ON MALFEASANCE CHARGES.
Louisiana senators have put the brakes on a bill that would have required motorists to use a handsfree device or speaker mode to talk on a cellphone while driving. The proposal by Republican Rep. Mike Huval of Breaux Bridge fell one vote short of passage in the Senate. It needed 20 votes, but only received the support of 19 senators. The House earlier had voted 77-20 for the bill.
THE INTERIM PRINCIPAL AT SAINT MICHAEL’S CATHOLIC SCHOOL IN CROWLEY HAS RESIGNED. LEONOR GONZALEZ TOOK OVER FOR LONGTIME PRINCIPAL SANDRA DORE, WHO RESIGNED IN APRIL. GONZALEZ, IN HER RESIGNATION LETTER, SAYS SHE WANTS TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH FAMILY. SHE ALSO CITED A DISAGREEMENT OVER THE WAY FIDUCIARY MATTERS HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED AND SAID SHE WILL PRAY THAT STAKEHOLDERS AT THE SCHOOL WILL MAKE THE NECESSARY CHANGES TO ENSURE FUTURE VIABILITY.
