7-25-19
LAFAYETTE PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES SURROUNDED A HOME ON VEROT SCHOOL ROAD YESTERDAY AFTERNOON AFTER A SUSPECT FIRED SHOTS AT THEM. THE STANDOFF ENDED PEACEFULLY AFTER A LONG PERIOD OF NEGOTIATIONS AND 47-YEAR-OLD JASON PIKE WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY. LT. JOHN MOWELL WITH THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN SIX MONTHS THAT PIKE HAS BARRICADED HIMSELF IN HIS HOMES. SHERIFF MARK GARBER SAYS PIKE BEGAN SHOOTING WHEN DEPUTIES ARRIVED TO ISSUE A WARRANT ON HIM FOR DOMESTIC AGGRAVATED ASSAULT AND THEFT.
A CROP DUSTER CRASHED IN JEFF DAVIS PARISH YESTERDAY MORNING AT AROUND 8:20. THE JEFF DAVIS PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS THE CROP DUSTER CLIPPED A TELEPHONE POLE SOUTH OF ROANOKE AT THE INTERSECTION OF DAVID ROAD AND L-A 382. THE PLANE LOST A WING AND STRUCK A TREE BEFORE A LANDING IN A FIELD. THE PILOT WALKED AWAY FROM THE CRASH WITH MINOR SCRAPES.
THE HUSBAND OF THE MAYOR OF ST. MARTINVILLE WAS IN COURT YESTERDAY CONCERNING A RESTRAINING ORDER FILED AGAINST HIM BY THE CITY COUNCIL. THE ATTORNEY FOR LAWRENCE MITCHELL SAYS THE JUDGE DID NOT RESTRICT MITHCELL AS MUCH AS CITY OFFICIALS WANTED. THE TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER PREVENTS MITCHELL FROM APPROACHING A CITY OFFICIAL OR GOING ON CITY PROPERTY. MITCHELL’S ATTORNEY SAYS THE CHARGES AGAINST HIS CLIENT ARE FAKE AND HE HOPES THAT MITCHELL WILL BE VINDICATED.
Louisiana Republicans have cautioned that infighting among GOP candidates could sink efforts to retake the governor’s mansion. But a PAC backing U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham isn’t following requests to avoid intraparty attacks. Securing Louisiana’s Future released a Facebook ad panning fellow Republican contender Eddie Rispone, a wealthy businessman. The ad accuses Rispone of trying to buy the election, but being unable to win.
A LAFAYETTE JUDGE ORDERED A MAN’S MOUTH DUCT TAPED DURING A SENTENCING HEARING ONE WEEK AGO. THE MAN WAS MICHAEL C. DUHON, WHO WAS AT A SENTENCING HEARING AFTER BEING FOUND GUILTY OF THEFT OVER 25 THOUSAND DOLLARS AND MONEY LAUNDERING. DISTRICT JUDGE MARILYN CASTLE ORDERED A BAILIFF TO DUCT TAPE DUHON’S MOUTH WHEN HE CONTINUED INTERRUPTING THE PROCEEDINGS AND REFUSED ORDERS TO SPEAK THROUGH HIS ATTORNEY. THE DUCT TAPE WAS REMOVED AFTER HIS PUBLIC DEFENDER, AARON ADAMS, OBJECTED AND REQUESTED THAT JUDGE CASTLE REMOVE THE DEFENDANT FROM THE COURTROOM INSTEAD.
THE DIOCESE OF LAKE CHARLES IS AFFIRMING THE ACCURACY OF ITS LIST OF CLERGYMEN ACCUSED OF CHILD SEX ABUSE. THE ADVOCATE REPORTED LAST WEEK THAT THE DIOCESE KNEW OF ALLEGATIONS AGAINST TWO PRIESTS YEARS BEFORE THE DATES INDICATED ON THE LIST. THE REPORT SAYS THE BISHOP IN 1986 RECEIVED A LETTER ABOUT GERARD SMIT, BUT THE DIOCES SAYS THEY DIDN’T RECEIVE ALLEGATIONS UNTIL 2002, AND THE OTHER ALLEGED DISCREPANCY HAS TO DO WITH MARK BROUSSARD. THE DIOCESE ISSUED A STATEMENT THAT THE LIST IS BOTH ACCURATE AND THOROUGH, BUT DID NOT ELABORATE OR SPECIFICALLY DISPUTE THE ADVOCATE REPORT.
LAST WEEK THE ST. LANDRY PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE ARRESTED 31-YEAR-OLD MICHAEL GUILLORY ON A SECOND DEGREE MURDER CHARGE FOR THE 2016 SHOOTING DEATH OF HIS GIRLFRIEND, BETHANY WALTERS, WHO WAS 22 AT THE TIME. WALTER’S MOTHER, CINDY, FOUGHT TO PROVE HER DAUGHTER’S DEATH WAS IN FACT A MURDER. SHE HAD HIRED HER OWN MEDICAL EXAMINER TO CONDUCT AN AUTOPSY AND PROFESSIONALS TO RUN BALLISTICS REPORTS. SHE TELLS KLFY TV THAT THE ARREST DOESN’T TAKE AWAY THE PAIN SHE FEELS, BUT IT DOES BRING CLOSURE.
Data from the Louisiana Department of Health shows cases of Hepatitis A have been continuing to increase across the state. The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate reports the number of reported cases since the outbreak began in January 2018 through July 18, 2019, is 375. Louisiana Bureau of Community Preparedness Medical Director Frank Welch says the outbreak is mostly affecting drug users and homeless people. Hepatitis A is a liver infection that’s often spread when people use the bathroom and then don’t wash their hands.
