Berwick checkpoint nets five DWI 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.)

A drunken-driving checkpoint Aug. 23 in Berwick resulted in five arrests, three of them within 55 minutes. Within another hour, officers made an unrelated DWI arrest after a crash

Berwick

Chief David Leonard Sr. reported these arrests:

--Rickey Dupree, 45, Berwick, was arrested at 9:45 p.m. Aug. 23 on charges of possession of marijuana (under 14 grams) and possession of drug paraphernalia.

About 9:45 p.m. during a DWI checkpoint, officers made contact with Dupree. During this time, marijuana was observed in plain view.

A search of the vehicle was conducted, and items of paraphernalia was located as well. Dupree was placed under arrest and released on a summons to appear in court.

--Dawn Rentrop, 64, Patterson, was arrested at 9:53 p.m. Aug. 23 on a charge of driving while intoxicated (first offense).

About 9:40 p.m. Aug. 23 during the DWI checkpoint, officers made contact with Rentrop. During this time, impairment was suspected. Rentrop performed poorly on field sobriety tests and submitted a breath sample of 0.083 G% BAC.

Rentrop was placed under arrest and transported to the Berwick Police Department, where she was booked.

--Tristen Franklin, 21, Franklin, was arrested at 11:20 p.m. Aug. 23 on a charge of driving while intoxicated (first offense).

About 11:10 p.m. Aug. 23 during the DWI checkpoint, officers made contact with Franklin. During this time, impairment was suspected. Franklin performed poorly on field sobriety testing and submitted a breath sample of 0.123 G% BAC.

Franklin was placed under arrest and transported to the Berwick Police Department where he was booked.

--Rebecca Elliot, 37, Morgan City, was arrested at 11:51 p.m. Aug. 23 on a charge of driving while intoxicated (first offense).

About 11:30 p.m. Aug. 23 during the DWI checkpoint, officers made contact with Elliot. During this time, impairment was suspected. Elliot performed poorly on field sobriety testing and submitted a breath sample of 0.188 G% BAC.

Elliot was placed under arrest and transported to the Berwick Police Department where she was booked.

--Carlos Mereno, 32, Morgan City, was arrested at 11:55 p.m. Thursday on a charge of driving while intoxicated (second offense).

About 11:35 p.m. Aug. 23 during the DWI checkpoint, officers made contact with Mereno. During this time, impairment was suspected. Mereno performed poorly on field sobriety testing and submitted a breath sample of 0.161 G% BAC.

Mereno was placed under arrest and transported to the Berwick Police Department, where it was learned that he had been previously convicted of DWI. Mereno was then booked.

--Dwayne Dupuy, 44, Berwick, was arrested at 12:22 a.m. Saturday on charges of driving while intoxicated (second offense), reckless operation of a motor vehicle with a crash and driving under suspension.

About 12:04 a.m. Saturday, the Berwick Police Department responded to a vehicle crash on U.S. 90 West. Officers made contact with Dupuy. Impairment was suspected. Dupuy refused field sobriety tests and was placed under arrest. He was transported to the Berwick Police Department ,where he refused to submit a breath sample.
A warrant was obtained, and samples of his blood was collected. It was learned that Dupuy had been previously convicted of DWI and that his driver’s license was suspended. Dupuy was then booked.

--Christopher Oubre Jr., 29, Berwick, was arrested at 4:32 p.m. Sunday on a warrant alleging cyberstalking and a warrant alleging three counts of violation of a protective order.

The Berwick Police Department received complaints this month about Oubre violating a protective order against him. During the time of the complaint, officers were unable to locate Oubre, and warrants were issued for his arrest.

Over the last several weeks, the Berwick Police Department had received numerous additional complaints of Oubre violating the order. Over the weekend, another complaint was received that Oubre was stalking the victim via video surveillance.

On Sunday, Oubre was located and arrested by the Morgan City Police Department. Oubre was transported to the Berwick Police Department where he was booked on the above warrants.

--Shane Ketchens , 37, Monroe, was arrested at 11:02 a.m. Monday on warrants alleging bank fraud and monetary instrument abuse.

In June 2023, the Berwick Police Department received a complaint from a local bank of fictitious checks that had been cashed at their facility. A description of the suspect was given to officers, and Ketchens was identified as a suspect.

Warrants were prepared for his arrest. On Sunday, Ketchens was located at the Avoylles Parish Jail. Officers traveled there and placed Ketchens under arrest. He was transported to the Berwick Police Department, where he was booked.

--Mark Theriot, 46, Berwick, was arrested at 6:57 p.m. Monday on a St. Mary Parish warrant alleging simple battery.

On Monday, while handling a separate complaint, officers made contact with Theriot. During this time, warrants check revealed that Theriot had an active warrant from the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office from 2015.

Theriot was placed under arrest and transported to the Berwick Police Department, where he was booked on the outstanding warrant.

Morgan City

Chief Chad M. Adams reported that the Morgan City Police Department responded to 42 calls for service over the last 24-hour reporting period and made these arrests:

--Christopher Lee Allen, 23, La. 182, Morgan City, was arrested 11:28 p.m. Tuesday on charges of disturbing the peace and possession of drug paraphernalia.

--Tronazehia Michelle Landry, 24, La. 182, Morgan City, was arrested at 11:38 p.m. Tuesday on charges of disturbing the peace and possession of drug paraphernalia.

--Jabari Elijah Woods, 21, Garber Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 10:12 p.m. Tuesday on a charge of disturbing the peace (intoxicated).

St. Mary

Sheriff Gary Driskell reported that over the last 24-hour reporting period, the Sheriff's Office responded to 42 complaints and made these arrests:

--Christian Scott Douglas Campbell, 22, Morgan City, was arrested on at 8:18 p.m. Monday on a warrant alleging failure to appear on charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, contributing to the delinquency of juveniles and operating a vehicle without a driver's license. Bail has not been set at this time.

Franklin

Chief Cedric Handy reported that the Franklin Police Department responded to five complaints over the last 24-hour reporting period and made this arrest:

--Dwayde Howard, 55, 10th Street, Franklin, was arrested at 9:26 p.m. Tuesday on a warrant for 3rd Ward City Court alleging failure to appear on a charge of theft. Howard was booked, processed and held on a $368 bond.

Assumption

Sheriff Leland Falcon reported these arrests:

--Candice Lee Ross, 38, East Garner Drive, Morgan City, was booked Tuesday on warrants charging her with failure to appear in court in Assumption Parish on charges of possession of a Schedule IV drug and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Ross was previously arrested in Assumption Parish on felony drug and firearms violations. As a result of that arrest, Ross was ordered to appear in court Jan. 10, 2022, and failed to do so. Warrants were issued for the arrest of Ross on Jan. 11, 2022.

Ross was arrested by the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office on Monday0 and transferred to the custody of the Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Office Tuesday..

Ross was booked into the Assumption Parish Detention Center and was ordered held without bond.

---Ryan Bell, 38, La. 998, Belle Rose, was arrested Tuesday on charges of possession of heroin, taking contraband to or from a penal institution, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of cannabinoids or synthetic marijuana, driving under a suspended driver’s license, and stopping standing or parking in prohibited areas.

A uniformed patrol deputy assigned to the I.C.E. detail observed a vehicle stopped on La. 998 and obstructing the normal flow of traffic on Tuesday The deputy made contact with the driver, now identified as Bell, and engaged the driver in an interview.

At some point, the deputy believed additional investigation was warranted. The deputy summoned a K-9 unit to the location. The K-9 alerted positive for the presence of controlled dangerous substances.

Deputies searched the vehicle and recovered quantities of heroin, marijuana and assorted drug paraphernalia.

Bell was arrested and booked into the Assumption Parish Detention Center pending bond hearing. When Bell was booked, he was found to have synthetic marijuana on his person.