Sheriff: Spike strips in Berwick stop fleeing suspect

(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.)

Staff Report

A set of spike strips in Berwick and a dog named Jace helped St. Mary deputies arrest a New Orleans man on drug, stolen property and traffic charges, according to police reports.
Assumption deputies also made two arrests in what the sheriff describes as an unreported armed robbery.

St. Mary
Sheriff Blaise Smith advises that over the last 24-hour reporting period, the Sheriff’s Office responded to 41 complaints and made these arrests:
—Tyrone Jude Whittington, 35, New Orleans, was arrested at 4:28 a.m. Friday on charges of possession with intent to distribute Schedule I drugs, possession with intent to distribute Schedule II drugs, improper lane usage, failure to signal, possession of drug paraphernalia, obstruction of justice (tampering), aggravated flight from an officer, possession of stolen things, and second or subsequent offense.
A K9 deputy was stationary and monitoring traffic at the U.S. 90 and La. 182 junction in Calumet when he observed an eastbound vehicle fail to use a turn signal when changing lanes. The deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle when it began to accelerate and refused to stop.
The vehicle continued east on U.S. 90 until an officer with the Berwick Police Department deployed spike strips, which made contact with the passenger-side tires and caused the driver to pull over.
The K9 deputy made contact with the driver, identified as Whittington, and took him into custody. K9 Jace was deployed to conduct an open-air sniff around the vehicle and showed a positive odor response. Drugs and drug paraphernalia were located.
Whittington was transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. No bail has been set.
—Scott J. Richoux, 39, Berwick, was arrested at 7:47 p.m. Thursday on charges of no license plate and no insurance.  Richoux was released on a summons to appear June 28.
—Dustin Paul Fitch, 33, Morgan City, was arrested at 8:16 p.m. Thursday on a charge of disturbing the peace by language. Fitch was released on a summons to appear Jun 38.
—Jamie Chris August, 45, Jeanerette, was arrested at 9:31 p.m. Thursday on a charge of domestic abuse battery and on a warrant for failure to appear on the charge of possession of marijuana or synthetic cannabinoids. No bail has been set.

Morgan City
Police Chief James F. Blair reports that over the last 24-hour period, the Morgan City Police Department responded to 45 calls for service. The following people were arrested beginning Thursday:
—Travis Montgomery, 46, Louisa Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 7:48 a.m. Thursday on a charge of entry or remaining after being forbidden.
—Jamal Sparrow, 19, Terrebonne Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 10:19 a.m. Thursday as a fugitive from the Berwick Police Department.
—Vernon Robinston Jr., 35, Duke Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 11 a.m. Thursday on a warrant for driving under suspension.
—Juliana Santos, 19, Grizzaffi Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 1:40 p.m. Thursday on a charge of hit and run.
—Alexis Melendez-Davilia, 33, Robin Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 2:30 p.m. Thursday on a warrant for contempt of court.
—Natalie Lowe, 32,Olympe Drive, Houma, was arrested at 5:39 p.m. Thursday on a warrant for failure to appear in 16th Judicial District Court.
—Herman Span Jr., 51, David Drive, Patterson, was arrested at 10:22 p.m. Thursday on charges of improper lane use and driving while intoxicated (first offense).

Franklin
Police Chief Morris Beverly said his department responded to 10 complaints in 24 hours beginning Thursday and made the following arrests:
 —Lashana Gibson, 37, Easy Street, Franklin, was arrested at 8:38 a.m. Thursday on a warrant for Louisiana State Police for automobile insurance police fraud. Gibson was booked, processed and released on a $2,500 bond.
 —Robert Callahan, 45, Cayce Street, Franklin, was arrested at 2:12 p.m. Thursday on a warrant dated March 4 for simple burglary, criminal trespass, resisting an officer, disturbing the peace by disorderly conduct and unauthorized entry of a place of business.
Callahan was booked, processed, and held with no bond set at time of this press release.
 —Wilbert Guy, 22, Second Street, Franklin, was arrested at 5:28 p.m. Thursday on a warrant dated Dec. 22 for domestic abuse battery. Guy was booked, processed and released on a $2,500 bond.

Assumption
Sheriff Leland Falcon reported these arrests:
—Demetric Royal Nelson Jr., 23, Violet Street, Labadieville, was arrested Wednesday on a charge of armed robbery.
—Eugene Holly, 32, Back Marais Lane, Napoleonville, was arrested Wednesday on a charge of armed robbery.
Assumption Parish sheriff’s detectives received information from the Thibodaux Police Department detectives regarding an armed robbery that occurred in Assumption Parish.
There was certain video evidence provided to sheriff’s detectives in which they were able to identify the victim.
The unreported armed robbery is alleged to have taken place Feb. 25 in the 100 block of Violet Street.
Detectives were able to identify a number of suspects and secured arrest warrants.
On Wednesday, detectives arrested Nelson. He was booked into the Assumption Parish Detention Center and remains incarcerated on $150,000 bond.
Holly turned himself in to the Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday and remains incarcerated on a $150,000 bond.
Additional arrests are likely in this matter.
—Jody Paul Boudreaux, 44, Redwood Street, Labadieville, was arrested late Thursday on charges of driving under a suspended driver’s license, driving on roadway laned for traffic and possession of methamphetamine.
The arrest followed a traffic stop late Thursday on La. 1 in Labadieville.
A uniformed patrol officer observed a vehicle commit a traffic violation in Labadieville and initiated a stop of that vehicle.
The driver, identified as Boudreaux, appeared nervous and evasive.
During the stop, it was determined that the suspect was driving with a suspended driver’s license.
After the interview, a K-9 was summoned to the scene. The K-9 conducted an open-air sniff of the suspect vehicle and alerted positive to the presence of illegal narcotics. During a subsequent search, a quantity of methamphetamine was recovered.
Boudreaux was arrested and booked into the Assumption Parish Detention Center pending a bond hearing.
—Wayne Dunn III, 18, East Greenbriar Drive, Gonzales, was arrested Friday on a charge of aggravated flight from an officer.
—Deante Myles Washington, 20, Peterville Lane, Belle Rose, was arrested Friday on a charge of possession of marijuana.
The arrests followed a traffic stop near Paincourtville early Friday.
A uniformed patrol deputy observed a vehicle commit a traffic violation and attempted to stop the vehicle. The incident occurred on La. 1 north of La. 70. The suspect fled at high speeds and then crossed over to La. 308 and headed north. The suspect vehicle was stopped on La. 308, and the driver, identified as Dunn, was arrested.
During a search of the suspect vehicle, a quantity of marijuana was seized, which was attributed to a passenger, identified as Washington. He was then arrested.
Dunn was booked into the Assumption Parish Detention Center pending a bond hearing.
Washington was booked into the Assumption Parish Detention Center and released on his own recognizance.
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