Police: Suspect’s blood alcohol content nearly triple legal limit

A 57-year-old Houma man was arrested in Morgan City on a DWI second offense charge after registering a blood alcohol content of nearly three times the legal limit, Police Chief James Blair said in a news release.

—Todd J. Gautreaux, 57, of Vicari Street in Houma, was arrested at 3:57 p.m. Thursday on charges of DWI second offense and possession of open alcoholic beverage in a motor vehicle.

Patrol officers responded to the area of U.S. 90 in regard to a vehicle being operated in a reckless manner. A description of the vehicle was obtained and officers located the vehicle in question in the area of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Gautreaux, the driver, was in an intoxicated state, Blair said. Gautreaux performed poorly on a field sobriety test and also had an open alcoholic beverage in the vehicle, Blair said.

Gautreaux was arrested and transported to the Morgan City Police Department for chemical testing. Gautreaux submitted to a chemical test which resulted in 0.224 grams-percent blood alcohol content, Blair said. Gautreaux was jailed.

Blair reported officers responded to 35 calls and made the following arrests:

—Tommy L. Harding, 26, of Friendship Lane in Amelia, was arrested at 2:29 p.m. Thursday on a charge of possession of tobacco on jail premises.

Officers with the Morgan City jail conducted an investigation into the use of tobacco in the jail, which is prohibited. Officers searched a cell belonging to Harding and found him in possession of tobacco, Blair said. Harding was jailed.

—Bridget Brown, 46, of Aristile Road in Morgan City, was arrested at 11:57 p.m. Thursday on a warrant charging her with simple battery.

Brown was located and arrested in the area of Maple Street on a warrant. The warrant stems from a Sept. 10, 2015, investigation when officers responded to the area of Chennault Street in regard to a complaint of a battery that had been committed.

Officers arrived and learned that Brown allegedly committed a battery on the victim, Blair said. The investigation continued and warrants were prepared for Brown’s arrest. Brown was jailed.

St. Mary Parish Sheriff Mark Hebert reported that deputies responded to 36 complaints in the parish and reported the following arrests relating to east St. Mary Parish:

—Darnell Ayro Sr., 34, of Edward Lane in Jeanerette, was arrested at 1:34 p.m. Thursday on charges of careless operation, operating a vehicle with a suspended driver’s license and a warrant for failure to register as a sex offender or child predator.

A detective with the St. Mary Parish Sex Offender Compliance Section conducted a follow-up investigation into a complaint worked by patrol deputies in Berwick involving Ayro, Hebert said. The detective found that Ayro was living in St. Mary Parish but failed to register with the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office as a convicted sex offender.

In 2001, Ayro was convicted in Iberia Parish of contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile-sexually immoral acts. The detective obtained a warrant for his arrest.

On Thursday, a patrol deputy responded to a two-vehicle crash on La. 83 in Ashton and identified Ayro as one of the drivers involved, Hebert said.

The deputy located the active warrant for his arrest. The deputy also found that he had a suspended license and that he was operating the vehicle in a careless manner when he struck the back of another vehicle, the sheriff said. Ayro was jailed with no bail set.

—Nathan Mclain Jr., 36, of Palmer Lane in Centerville, was arrested at 9:11 a.m. Thursday on a warrant for failure to appear on charges of speeding and operating a vehicle without a driver’s license.

—Belinda Cox, 46, of Palmer Lane in Centerville, was arrested at 10:16 a.m. Thursday on charges of criminal trespass and criminal damage to property.

A deputy responded to a call for service regarding trespassers on the Verdunville levee. Upon arrival, the deputy observed an unoccupied pick-up truck stuck in the mud on the levee.

The deputy identified the owner of the vehicle as Cox and found that she and Mclain were driving on the levee when the truck got stuck. During the investigation, Mclain returned to the truck to remove it from the mud.

While speaking with Mclain, the deputy located the active warrant for his arrest. The deputy located Cox at her home, Hebert said. Cox was released on a summons to appear in court March 7. Mclain was jailed and then released on $500 bail.

—Alan Granger, 27, of Lee Street in Franklin, was arrested at 11:08 p.m. Thursday on charges of improper lane usage, possession of marijuana and a warrant for criminal damage to property.

A deputy observed a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed on U.S. 90 in Berwick. The deputy also observed the driver swerving onto the shoulder of the roadway and over the centerline multiple times, Hebert said.

The deputy conducted a traffic stop and identified the driver as Granger. While speaking with him, the deputy observed marijuana inside the vehicle, Hebert said.

The deputy also located the active warrant for Granger’s arrest. The warrant was issued in July 2014 after a correctional deputy at the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center observed Granger damage a window at the facility during a previous incarceration, the sheriff said. Following the traffic stop investigation, Granger was jailed with bail set at $2,750.

Berwick Police Chief James Richard reported no arrests.