Local police make 5 drunken driving arrests

(Editor’s note: The charges listed here and the narratives that go with them are provided by the police agencies that made the arrests. Guilt or innocence has not been determined in court.)
Morgan City and Berwick police made five arrests on drunken driving charges over the weekend, according to arrest reports. Those agencies and Assumption Parish deputies also made four arrests on charges of domestic abuse or battery of a dating partner, including one in the Bayou L’Ourse area that involved gunfire.

Morgan City
Police Chief James F. Blair reported that in the last 72-hour reporting period, the Morgan City Police Department responded to 96 calls for service and made these arrests:
—Ivan Mercado, 31, Raccoon Lane, Midway Park, North Carolina, was arrested at 1:51 a.m. Saturday on charges of driving while intoxicated (first offense), reckless operation of a vehicle and improper lane usage.
—Micha Troy Hatch, 29, Louisiana Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 2:44 a.m. Saturday on a charge of driving while intoxicated (second offense) and reckless operation of a vehicle.
—John Anthony Meche, 60, Don Guilbeau Road, Arnaudville, was arrested at 7:29 p.m. Sunday on charges of driving while intoxicated (first offense), reckless operation of a motor vehicle, possession of alcoholic beverages in a motor vehicle, improper lane usage and expired driver’s license.
—Sarah Scott, 39, Walnut Drive, Morgan City, was arrested at 12:22 p.m. Friday on a warrant alleging domestic abuse battery and as a fugitive (St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office).
—Kenneth Dale Bishop, 46, West Fourth Street, Owensboro, Kentucky, was arrested at 8:24 p.m. Friday on charges of battery of a dating partner and disturbing the peace (intoxicated).
—Wayne Anthony Singleton, 59, 11th Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 3:06 p.m. Friday on a charge of simple battery and on a 6th Ward City Court of Morgan City warrant alleging two counts of failure to appear to pay fine.
—Shedrick Paul Boudreaux, 63, St. Patrick Street, Raceland, was arrested at 7:54 p.m. Saturday on a charge of possession of marijuana.
—Everardo Romero Jr., 29, Brashear Avenue, Morgan City, was arrested at 3:18 a.m. Sunday on a charge of disturbing the peace (intoxicated).
—Alvin J. Francois, 50, Fifth Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 7:13 p.m. Sunday on St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office warrants alleging failure to pay annual sex offender fee and failure to provide notice as a sex offender.

Berwick
Police Chief David Leonard reported these arrests:
—Christopher Henry, 38, Circle Drive, Morgan City, was arrested at 2:57 a.m. Saturday on charges of driving while intoxicated (first offense) and careless operation of a motor vehicle with a crash.
About 2:27 a.m. Saturday, the Berwick Police Department received a call about a vehicle crash on River Road near Berwick South Road. Officers responded and made contact with Henry. While speaking with Henry, officers detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his breath and person.
Henry admitted to consuming alcohol earlier in the night prior to the crash. Henry was asked to perform a series of standardized field sobriety tests, which he did and on which he performed poorly.
Henry was placed under arrest and transported to the Berwick Police Department, where he provided a valid breath sample of 0.173G % BAC. Henry was then booked. Following the booking process, Henry posted a $3,000 bond.
—John Henry, 48, Texas Street, Berwick, was arrested at 10:35 p.m. Saturday on charges of driving while intoxicated (first offense) and reckless operation.
About 10:15 p.m. Saturday, the Berwick Police Department received a call about a vehicle traveling on La. 182 in a reckless manner. The caller advised that a vehicle was traveling in the wrong lane of travel. The license plate and description of the vehicle were given to officers, at which time it was located, and a traffic stop was conducted.
Officers made contact with the driver, Henry. While speaking with Henry, officers observed signs of impairment. Henry performed poorly on field sobriety testing and was placed under arrest. Henry was then transported to the Berwick Police Department, where he provided a valid breath sample of 0.225G% BAC.
Henry was booked and posted a $3,000 bond.
—Christopher D. Landry, 44, Sixth Street, Berwick, was arrested at 11:46 p.m. Saturday on a charge of domestic abuse battery.
About 10:40 p.m. Saturday, officers responded to a residence on Sixth Street, to remove a subject. Officers met with the complainant and observed visible injuries on her face.
Through investigation it was learned that Landry committed several batteries on the victim earlier in the night. Officers made contact with Landry at the residence, and he was placed under arrest. Landry was transported to the Berwick Police Department where he was booked. Landry remains incarcerated pending a bond.
—Juvenile male, 16, was arrested at 11:21 a.m. Friday on a charge of disturbing the peace (fighting).
—Juvenile male, 16, was arrested at 11:21 a.m. Friday on a charge of disturbing the peace (fighting).
About 8:40 a.m. Friday, the Berwick Police Department received a call from the Berwick High School advising that two students who were involved in a physical altercation. Officers responded and learned that the two boys were involved in a physical altercation with each other.
Both juveniles were placed under arrest and transported to the Berwick Police Department, where they were booked. Following the booking process, the juveniles were released to their parents pending a court hearing.
—Ashton Allen, 30, Ehrlich Street, Berwick, was arrested at 12:53 p.m. Sunday on a charge of violation of a protective order.
—Amber Fendley, 36, Ehrlich Street, Berwick, was arrested at 3:38 p.m. Sunday on a charge of violation of a protective order.
About 11:56 .m. Sunday, officers received information that two individuals who both had protective orders against each other were communicating with each other, one of the individuals being Fendley, who was already incarcerated in the Berwick Jail at the time. Officers learned that Fendley was contacting Allen from the jail phone and that Allen was contacting her as well.
Allen was located at his residence and placed under arrest. Allen was transported to the Berwick Police Department, where he was booked and posted a $2,500 bond. Fendley was additionally charged and remains incarcerated in the Berwick Jail.
—Renita Bias, 37, Railroad Avenue, Morgan City, was arrested at 10:20 p.m. Sunday on a warrant alleging theft by shoplifting.
About 10 p.m. Sunday, officers located Bias at the Patterson Police Department. She had active warrants through the Berwick Police Department for theft by shoplifting. Bias was placed under arrest and released on a summons to appear in court in January.

St. Mary
Sheriff Blaise Smith advised that over the last 72-hour reporting period, the Sheriff's Office responded to 120 complaints and made these arrests:
--Justin Omar Singleton, 24, Franklin, was arrested at 9:42 p.m. Friday on a charge of disturbing the peace criminal damage to property. Singleton was released on a $1,000 bond.
--Joey Viltz, 56, Jeanerette, was arrested at 10:09 p.m. Friday on charges of disturbing the peace criminal damage to property and disturbing the peace in a violent/tumultuous manner. Viltz was released on a summons to appear March 17.
--Devonte Deondre Weber, 28, Jeanerette, was arrested at 4:31 p.m. Friday on a warrant for failure to appear on the charges of operating a vehicle without a driver's license and no proof of insurance. Bond was set at $1,000.
--Allen Charles Brooks Jones, 45, Franklin, was arrested at 8:34 a.m. Saturday on a charge of unauthorized entry of inhabited dwelling. Bond was set at $7,500.
--Brendon W. Bryan, 22, Patterson, was arrested at 6:58 p.m. Saturday on charges of speeding and driving under suspension. Bryan was released on a summons to appear March 17.
--Timothy Van Truong, 26, Morgan City, was arrested at 11:33 p.m. on a warrant alleging possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and violation of uniform controlled dangerous substance laws. Bond was set at $6,000.
--Edwin Belizaire, 33, Lafayette, was arrested at 6:28 a.m. Sunday on a warrant alleging simple battery, disturbing the peace (intoxicated) and resisting arrest or officer. Belizaire was released on a $6,000 bond.
--Devontre Renoldo Phillips, 21, Baldwin, was arrested at 7 p.m. Sunday on charges of stop signs/yield signs and driving under suspension. Phillips was released on a summons to appear March 17.
--Arthur Deshawn Jack, 26, Baldwin, was arrested at 12:31 a.m. Monday on charges of no license plate, driving under suspension, no insurance, switched license plate/stolen license plate and possession of marijuana.
Jack was released on a summons to appear March 17.

Franklin
Police Chief Morris Beverly reported that the Franklin Police Department responded to 32 complaints over the past weekend and made this arrest:
—Jonah Madison, 27, Second Street, Franklin, was arrested at 12:50 a.m. Saturday, on a warrant dated Dec. 17 alleging criminal conspiracy (four counts), criminal mischief (four counts), false communication with intent to cause an emergency response (four counts), and terrorizing (four counts). Madison was booked, processed and transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center.

Assumption
Sheriff Leland Falcon reported these arrests:
—Laura Ann Truelove, 35, Andras Street, Bayou L’Ourse, was arrested Friday on charges of domestic abuse aggravated assault, illegal use of weapons or dangerous instrumentalities, and domestic abuse battery (child endangerment).
Deputies responded to a disturbance call at the Andras Street address. Deputies observed Truelove and a relative in the front yard of the residence, struggling over a firearm and a hammer. Once the situation de-escalated, deputies detained Truelove pending the outcome of the investigation.
Deputies observed obvious signs of a violent confrontation that progressed to a struggle with several shots being fired. At the conclusion of the investigation, deputies determined that Truelove’s actions were the direct cause of the incident in question.
Truelove was arrested and booked into the Assumption Parish Detention Center and remains incarcerated pending bond proceedings.
—Willie Chase Sharp, 33, House Road, Jonesville, was arrested Saturday on charges of aggravated second-degree battery and criminal trespass.
—Amilla Launaye Bradley, 29, Teddy Street, Pierre Part, was arrested on charges of accessory after the fact and criminal trespass.
The charges arose from a disturbance that occurred early Saturday near Belle River.
Deputies were dispatched to an Ervin Street address in Belle River and made contact with a male subject who had a severe laceration of the head area.
Deputies initiated an investigation and determined that the parties involved in the matter knew each other. A short time prior to deputies arriving, Sharp and Bradley had gone to the victim’s residence, at which time a physical altercation occurred.
At some point, Sharp allegedly struck the victim with a beer bottle in the head, causing injuries requiring medical treatment.
At the conclusion of investigation, deputies concluded that probable causes existed to arrest Sharp and Bradley.
Deputies located Sharp and Bradley at the Teddy Street address. Both were arrested and booked into the Assumption Parish Detention Center.
Sharp was released on a $50,000 bond. Bradley was released on a $2,000 bond.