2-9-17
STATE POLICE ARE SEEKING THE PUBLIC’S HELP IN FINDING TWO MEN WANTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE KIDNAPPING AND BEATING OF A LAFAYETTE MAN ON FEBRUARY FIRST. THE VICTIM WAS TAKEN TO A RESIDENCE IN THIBODEAUX, RESTRAINED AND BEATEN OVERNIGHT, THEN TAKEN TO ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH, WHERE SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES BECAME AWARE OF THE KIDNAPPING. ON FEBRUARY SECOND, STATE POLICE ARRESTED FOUR MEN IN CONNECTION WITH THE KIDNAPPING, BUT THEY ARE STILL SEARCHING FOR 45-YEAR-OLD JEFFREY SLACK SENIOR AND 20-YEAR-OLD JEFFREY SLACK JUNIOR, BOTH OF THIBODEAUX. BOTH MEN ARE CONSIDERED ARMED AND DANGEROUS. IF YOU KNOW THEIR WHEREABOUTS, YOU ARE URGED TO CALL STATE POLICE TROOP C AT 985-857-36-80, OR YOUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.
THREE PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN AN EXPLOSION AT A PACKING PLANT IN BEAUREGARD PARISH. SHERIFF JOE TOLER SAYS TWO TANKS EXPLODED YESTERDAY MORNING AT THE PACKAGING CORPORATION OF AMERICA FACILITY ON U-S 190. HE SAYS IT IS NOT KNOWN WHAT WAS IN THE TANKS, BUT THE AREA WAS CONTAINED AND THERE WAS NO FIRE. AN ADDITIONAL SEVEN PEOPLE SUFFERED MODERATE TO MINOR INJURIES.
AN ABBEVILLE MAN WAS ARRESTED ON A CHARGE OF ATTEMPTED FIRST DEGREE MURDER AND ATTEMPTED FIRST DEGREE RAPE. DEPUTIES WITH THE VERMILLION PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE BEGAN INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT AT 12:46 YESTERDAY MORNING, WHICH HAPPENED OFF OF MAPLE STREET IN ABBEVILLE, LEADING TO THE ARREST OF 48-YEAR-OLD JASON P. BARRAS. HE IS ACCUSED OF SEVERELY BEATING A 37-YEAR-OLD WOMAN. SHERIFF MIKE COUVILLON SAYS THE WOMAN’S ABILITY TO MAINTAIN HER COMPOSURE AND FIGHT OFF HER ASSAILANT MAY HAVE SAVED HER LIFE.
THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES HELD A PUBLIC HEARING IN NAPOLEONVILLE YESTERDAY ABOUT A PERMIT REQUEST FOR THE BAYOU BRIDGE PIPELINE, WHICH WOULD STRETCH 162 MILES FROM LAKE CHARLES TO ST. JAMES PARISH, CROSSING THE ATCHAFALAYA BASIN. INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS SAY A PIPELINE IS A SAFER WAY TO TRANSPORT OIL THAN BY TRUCKS AND TRAINS, AND THE PROPOSED PIPELINE WOULD RESULT IN NO NET LOSS OF WATER OR WETLANDS. AS POLITICIANS SPOKE OUT IN FAVOR OF THE PIPELINE, OPPONENTS CHANTED “HOW MUCH”, IN AN APPARENT REFERENCE TO HOW MUCH THEY RECEIVED IN CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS FROM OIL AND GAS COMPANIES. THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES NOW HAS 15 DAYS TO DECIDE ON WHETHER TO GRANT THE PERMIT, THOUGH THEY COULD CLAIM AN EXTENSION IF THEY FEEL MORE STUDY IS NEEDED.
THE LAFAYETTE POLICE CHIEF ASKED THE FIRE AND POLICE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD NOT TO INCREASE THE EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICANTS TO THE NEW DEPUTY CHIEF POSITION. CHIEF TOBY AGUILLARD SAYS HE WOULD LIKE TO CHOOSE HIS DEPUTY CHIEF FROM A LARGE POOL OF QUALIFIED CANDIDATES. HOWEVER, BOARD VICE CHAIRMAN, LAFAYETTE POLICE LIEUTENANT GUY LEBRETON, SAYS HE BELIEVES THE DEPUTY CHIEF SHOULD HAVE 69 HOURS OF COLLEGE CREDITS, WHICH IS THE SAME AS A MAJOR IN THE DEPARTMENT. THE BOARD TABLED THE MATTER UNTIL MARCH AND ASKED AGUILLARD TO COME UP WITH A COMPROMISE TO PRESENT TO THE BOARD AT THAT TIME.
A SINGLE VEHICLE CRASH TUESDAY NIGHT IN ST. MARTIN PARISH LEFT ONE MAN DEAD. 31-YEAR-OLD PATRICK GRAY OF LAFAYETTE WAS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY 92 NEAR CHUCK ROAD WHEN HE VEERED OFF THE ROAD AT A BRIDGE, STRIKING THE GUARD RAIL AT THE END OF THE BRIDGE. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED ACROSS A COULEE, COLLIDED WITH AN ENBANKMENT AND OVERTURNED SEVERAL TIMES. STATE POLICE MASTER TROOPER BROOKS DAVID SAYS GRAY WASN’T WEARING HIS SEATBELT AND WAS EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE. HE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE.
GOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS LEFT FOR WASHINGTON D-C YESTERDAY TO LOBBY FOR MORE FEDERAL AID FOR VICTIMS OF LAST YEAR’S FLOODS IN LOUISIANA. A SPOKESMAN SAYS THE GOVERNOR DOESN’T HAVE A MEETING WITH PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP ON THIS TRIP, BUT DOES HAVE ONE SCHEDULED WHEN HE COMES BACK FOR THE NATIONAL GOVERNOR’S ASSOCIATION MEETING ON FEBRUARY 24TH. THE STATE HAS ALREADY RECEIVED ONE-POINT-SIX BILLION DOLLARS IN FEDERAL AID, BUT HE’S SEEKING TWO BILLION DOLLARS MORE. U-S SENATOR BILL CASSIDY OF LOUISIANA TOLD THE USA TODAY NETWORK OF LOUISIANA THAT IF THE GOVERNOR MAKES THE CASE THAT THERE IS A CONTINUED NEED, THE MEMBERS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION WILL CARRY THE WATER.
PEARSON’S TRAVEL IS CLOSING THEIR LAFAYETTE STORE AFTER 38 YEARS OF BUSINESS. OWNER JERRY PEARSON CITED THE LOCAL ECONOMY, WHICH HAS BEEN DOWN BECAUSE OF THE ENERGY INDUSTRY SLUMP, AND SO MANY PEOPLE BUYING FROM ONLINE RETAILERS SUCH AS AMAZON. HE TELLS THE DAILY ADVERTISER THAT IT SADDENS HIM TO CLOSE THE STORE AFTER BEING PART OF THE LAFAYETE COMMUNITY SINCE 1979. PEARSON’S TRAVEL WILL REMAIN OPEN THROUGH THE END OF MARCH, WITH PRICES MARKED DOWN AS MUCH AS TWENTY PERCENT.
