Police: Woman tried to get drug with fake prescription

A 29-year-old Morgan City woman was accused Tuesday of attempting to get Percocet with a false prescription.

—Nicole E. Karpinski, 29, of La. 182 in Morgan City, was arrested at 2:04 p.m. Tuesday on a warrant charging her with false acquisition of a controlled dangerous substance and St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office warrants charging her with three counts of doctor shopping and theft and on a charge of driving under suspension, Morgan City Police Chief James Blair said in a news release.

On Monday, officers responded to a business on La. 70 in regard to a woman attempting to acquire a Percocet with a false prescription. The woman, who was identified as Karpinski, left prior to officers’ arrival.

Police obtained a description of Karpinski and the vehicle from which she left the business.

On Tuesday, officers located the vehicle being operated in the area of East Boulevard and stopped the vehicle. They located Karpinski, who had three active arrest warrants through the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office. She also had a suspended driver’s license. Karpinski was jailed.

Blair reported responding to 35 calls and reported the following arrests:

—Damien Keller, 33, no address given, was arrested at 10:21 p.m. Tuesday on warrants charging him with purse snatching, simple battery and theft.

Damien Keller was located and arrested in the area of Federal Ave. on active arrest warrants held by the Morgan City Police. The warrants stem from an investigation in which Keller allegedly approached someone in the area of La. 70, committed a battery and took a purse from the victim.

Officers were unable to located Keller during the investigation and a warrant was prepared for his arrest. Keller was jailed.

—Phillip Begnaud, 33, of Fulton Street in Shreveport, was arrested at 8:35 p.m. Tuesday on charges of creation or operation of a clandestine laboratory, possession of marijuana, violation of uniform controlled dangerous substance law-drug-free zone, turning movements and required signals, driving under suspension and no insurance.

Narcotics division investigators observed a vehicle conduct an improper turn in the area of Sixth Street and initiated a stop. Begnaud was identified as the operator of the vehicle.

Begnaud’s driver’s license was under suspension, and his vehicle did not have insurance. Investigators located several different precursors connected to a clandestine laboratory to create methamphetamine and suspected marijuana.

Begnaud allegedly admitted to attempting to manufacture methamphetamine. The area where this incident had taken place was within a drug-free zone. Begnaud was jailed.

—Jack Canada, 62, of Elaine Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 1:29 p.m. Tuesday on a charge of disturbing the peace intoxicated.

Officers were dispatched to the area of Greenwood Street in regard to a suspicious person. Officers arrived and located Canada. Canada was found to be in an intoxicated state. Canada was jailed.

St. Mary Parish Sheriff Mark Hebert reported responding to 46 complaints in the parish and reported no arrests in east St. Mary Parish.

Berwick Police Chief James Richard reported the following arrest:

—Jason Viator, 38, of California Street in Berwick, was arrested at 10:39 a.m. Tuesday on a warrant charging him with possession of Lorcet. Bail was set at $2,500.

Patterson Police Chief Patrick LaSalle reported no arrests.