RSS Feed

(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
Local police agencies made three arrests on domestic abuse charges over the weekend, including one of a Berwick man accused of battering his victim while her children were present.

Berwick
Police Chief David Leonard reported this arrest:
—Robert J. Gould Jr., 22 California Street, Berwick, was arrested at 1:43 p.m. Sunday on a charge of domestic abuse battery (child endangerment law) and on a St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office warrant for failure to appear on a charge of improper lane use.
About 1:06 p.m. Sunday, officers were dispatched to Guzzetta Drive in reference to a domestic disturbance. Officers arrived on scene and met with the victim and learned that a battery was committed upon her while two young children were present.
Through investigation, officers learned that the suspect was Gould, and he had left the scene prior to the officers’ arrival. Officers located Gould at his residence on California Street and placed him under arrest.
A warrants check revealed that he had an active warrant through the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office as well. He was booked into the Berwick Jail where he remains with no bond set.

Morgan City
Police Chief James F. Blair reports that over the last 72-hour period, the Morgan City Police Department responded to 93 calls for service. The following people were arrested beginning Friday:-
—Jairo Perez, 24, Village Lane, Morgan City, was arrested at 3:44 a.m. Saturday on a charge of domestic abuse Saturday.
—Danyelle N Morgan, 35, River Road, Berwick, was arrested at 2:20 p.m. Friday on a warrant for three counts of failure to appear in 6th Ward Court.
—Demetris Owens, 28, Orange Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 10:06 a.m. Saturday on a charge of criminal mischief.
—Myles Anthony Morgan, 33, Front Street, Morgan City, was arrested 7:48 a.m. Sunday on a charge of simple battery.

Franklin
Police Chief Morris Beverly said the Franklin Police Department responded to 14 complaints over the past weekend and made the following arrests:
—Dominick Sheldon, 30, Samuel Street, Franklin, was at 5:44 a.m. Saturday on a charge of battery of a dating partner. Sheldon was booked, processed and held with no bond set as of Monday.
—James Wells, 44, Adams Street, Franklin, was arrested at 11:34 a.m. Friday on the charges of stop sigh violation and possession of marijuana. Wells was booked processed and released on a $2,250 bond.
—Gaylan Hamilton, 37, Augustine Maze Street, Franklin, was arrested at 7:54 p.m. Friday on the charges of home invasion and two counts of second-degree battery. Hamilton was booked, processed and released on a $25,000 bond.
—Edward Crum, II, 41, Firman Street, Franklin, was arrested at 10:03 p.m. Sunday on the charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, failure to stop, improper lane usage and failure to yield to emergency vehicle. Crum was booked, processed, and held with no bond set as of Monday morning.

St. Mary
Sheriff Blaise Smith advises that over the last 72-hour reporting period, the Sheriff’s Office responded to 93 complaints and made the following arrests:
—Tyler Jermaine Sylvester, 21, Berwick, was arrested at 12:42 p.m. Friday on two warrants for failure to appear on the charges of possession of marijuana, resisting an officer and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bail was set at $8,000.
—Adam Charles Davis, 44, Franklin, was arrested at 11:56 p.m. Friday on charges of driving on roadway laned for traffic, proper equipment required on vehicles, possession of synthetic cannabinoids, possession of Schedule IV drugs, resisting an officer by flight and expired driver’s license.
No bail has been set.
—Keith Dwayne Robinson, 41, Franklin, was arrested at 7:06 p.m. Sunday on charges of no headlights, resisting an officer or arrest, possession of synthetic cannabinoids, possession of heroin, obstruction of justice (tampering), possession of a legend drug without a prescription and possession of drug paraphernalia.
No bail has been set.
—Justin Chauvin, 20, Baldwin, was arrested at 8:38 p.m. Sunday on charges of criminal trespass and criminal damage to property-simple. Chauvin was released on a summons to appear May 24.
—Curley Carter III, 20, Charenton, was arrested at 8:38 p.m. Sunday on charges of criminal trespass and criminal damage to property (simple). Carter was released on a summons to appear May 24.
—Stacey Lynn Grubb, 40, Franklin, was arrested at 3 a.m. Sunday on a charge of theft and on four warrants for failure to appear on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, theft of $1,000-$5,000, self-mutilation by a prisoner and criminal trespass.
No bail has been set.
—Nicholas Paul Daigle, 25, Bayou Vista, was arrested at 11:30 p.m. Sunday on charges of reckless operation (no accident) and disturbing the peace (language). Daigle was released on a $1,000 bond.
—Travis James Morin, 37, Patterson, was arrested at 12:40 a.m. Monday on a charge of possession of Schedule II drugs. No bail has been set.
—Ashley Adams, 37, Franklin, was arrested at 3:18 p.m. by the Narcotics Section on a warrant for failure to appear on the charge of possession of meth and probation violation. Bail was set at $15,000.
—Dylan Shea Carter, 36, Franklin, was arrested at 3:18 p.m. Friday by the Narcotics Section on a charge of possession of marijuana. Carter was released on a summons to appear May 24.

Chitimacha
Police Chief Hal Hutchinson reported these arrests:
—Jackson Franden, 20, Woodville Avenue, Lafayette, was arrested Saturday on charges of purchase or possession of alcohol by persons under the age of 21 and unlawful playing of gaming devices by persons under the age of 21. He was released on a summons.
—Luke Landry, 20, Craft Row, Lafayette, was arrested Saturday on charges of unlawful playing of gaming devices by persons under the age of 21, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, and released on a summons.
—Jacob LeBlanc, 20, Millcreek Road, Lafayette, was arrested Saturday on charges of purchase or possession of alcohol by persons under the age of 21 and unlawful playing of gaming devices by persons under the age of 21, and released on summons.
—Ty McDaniel, Woodville Avenue, Lafayette, was arrested Saturday on charges of purchase or possession of alcohol by persons under the age of 21 and unlawful playing of gaming devices by persons under the age of 21, and released on summons.
—John Rotta, 20, Bright Circle, Bryan, Texas, was arrested Saturday on charges of purchase or possession of alcohol by persons under the age of 21 and unlawful playing of gaming devices by persons under the age of 21, and released on summons.
—Michael Simon, 20, Chateau Place, Lafayette, was arrested Saturday on charges of purchase or possession of alcohol by persons under the age of 21 and unlawful playing of gaming devices by persons under the age of 21, and released on summons.
—Grant Ortega, 21, Baltimore Way, Lafayette, was arrested Saturday on a charge of principal to unlawful playing of gaming devices by persons under the age of 21 and released on summons.
The arrests followed a complaint of underage gambling at a tribal business.

Assumption
Sheriff Leland Falcon reported these arrests:
—Schuyler Paul Sanchez, 35, Virginia Street, Belle Rose, was arrested Saturday on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, license plate light required, no driver’s license and driving on a roadway laned for traffic, and on a fugitive warrant for aggravated assault with a firearm.
—Corey Joseph Guyon, 39, South Bay Road, Pierre Part, was arrested Saturday on charges of possession of marijuana and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The arrests resulted from a Saturday evening traffic stop near Napoleonville.
A uniformed K-9 patrol officer on assignment observed a vehicle commit a traffic violation and initiated a stop of that vehicle. The deputy made contact with the driver, identified as Sanchez.
The driver did not possess a valid driver’s license and could not produce a vehicle registration or proof of insurance. The deputy noticed the driver to be nervous and sweating profusely.
At some point, it was determined that Sanchez was wanted on an outstanding warrant for aggravated assault with a firearm.
The deputy also made contact with the passenger, identified as Guyon and conducted a personal interview..
The K-9 then conducted an open-air sniff of the vehicle and alerted to the presence of illegal narcotics.
A subsequent search of the vehicle yielded quantities of marijuana and methamphetamine.
Sanchez and Guyon were arrested and booked into the Assumption Parish Detention Facility. The bond for both men was set at $15,000.

DEAR ABBY: Because my fiancé and I had bad experiences in the past, we settled on just living together for the last 17 years. He has been like a husband to me and faithful all these years. Recently, however, I caught him in an online affair.
I checked his phone one day out of the blue — something I have never done before because we respect each other’s privacy. The emails were daily, back and forth, with only one mentioning a sexual encounter at the beginning.
He confessed that he had made a big mistake once and refused to see her again in person but had kept up the correspondence. He begged me to forgive him and I agreed, since we were together for so long.
The problem is, now we argue about his phone. He still expects the same privacy with it. I don’t feel comfortable with that now.
Does he still deserve the same privacy?
HUNG UP IN OHIO

DEAR HUNG UP: No, he does not. What he deserves is the chance to rebuild your trust, and that involves accountability on his part, which includes allowing you access to his phone if you feel insecure.
After 17 years together, both of you have a large emotional investment in this relationship. Because of that, it might be beneficial to schedule some sessions with a licensed relationship counselor to figure out where it went off the rails.

DEAR ABBY: I read your column every day. I know sometimes you suggest people see a doctor, either medical or psychological. What do you do if you are terrified of doctors?
I have asthma and consult my doctor via a computer, but some doctors (like dentists) can’t do that. I have horrible panic attacks and anxiety. Then my asthma kicks in, I can’t breathe, and I cry uncontrollably. I don’t want to take medications because they make me sleepy.
Because I’m so doped up, someone has to come with me to the doctor to drive me home and watch me be an uncontrollable mess. Also, missing a whole day of work for a one-hour doctor appointment is, in my opinion, ridiculous. I think I’d rather be sick than go to the doctor.
My family insists it’s all in my head and I should just get over it, but because of many horrible experiences at doctors’ offices, which I believe caused my fear, I just can’t. The current situation with the worldwide COVID epidemic has made my anxiety worse. Your thoughts?
TERRIFIED TO GO THERE

DEAR TERRIFIED: My thought is that you need to ask your doctor or your insurance company for a referral to a licensed psychologist who specializes in phobias and panic attacks.
Many of them consult with their patients online these days. Once you finally get a handle on that problem, the rest will be easier. While few people relish the idea of going to the doctor or dentist, NOT doing what is necessary to protect your health can be dangerous.
***
What teens need to know about sex, drugs, AIDS and getting along with peers and parents is in “What Every Teen Should Know.” Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 to: Dear Abby, Teen Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447.

Amelia and Berwick residents will have fire protection from outside agencies, regardless of the outcome of their mutual aid agreement with the Morgan City Fire Department, offi-cials said.
Both cited mutual aid agreements with the nine other departments who signed the St. Mary Parish Fire Association’s mutual aid agreement. The Amelia Volunteer Fire Department also has agreements with Stephensville and Bayou L’Ourse Volunteer Fire departments, Amelia Volunteer Fire Chief Jason Brown said. Brown is also serves as the association president.
“We absolutely have mutual aid agreements with every other fire department in the par-ish,” Berwick Mayor Duval Arthur said. “Morgan City is right now the only one that came up with this idiotic idea.”
The responses, which Arthur addressed in an interview and the Amelia Volunteer Fire Department issued in a statement signed by President Joseph Foret, come after new Morgan City Mayor Lee Dragna sent 90-day notice in a Jan. 28 letter to local fire departments and the parish that the city would be opting out of its parishwide mutual aid agreements. Dragna said he wants to sign individual aid agreements with the fire departments.
Despite the differences in opinion, Dragna said at the council meeting that once the mutual aid agreement expired, the city’s fire department still would help its neighbors.
While Berwick and Amelia responded to Dragna’s comments, the St. Mary Parish Fire Association did not have any comments as of Friday, Brown said. However, he said the association has sched-uled a Feb. 17 meeting at the Bayou Vista Volunteer Fire Department to discuss the matter. Dragna said at the council meeting that he would attend that meeting to explain the city’s move.
In his remarks at the council meeting, Dragna cited Berwick and Amelia in particular, saying that the reworking of the mutual aid agreements boiled down to finances. The Morgan City Fire Department, he said, is doing more work in other municipalities than it is receiving. Therefore, Morgan City should be compensated for its efforts.
Dragna said it costs the city $2.1 million a year to help other agencies, but the city seldom has received mutual aid from other agencies since the 1994 fire that devastated Shannon Hardware in downtown Morgan City.
He said it is “physically hurting” Morgan City, with Berwick being able to use Morgan City’s aid without providing any reimbursement.
Dragna said Berwick does not have to increase taxes to pay for fire protection that Morgan City provides them, but they get help with their fire rating with Morgan City being nearby.
“So why would the citizens of Morgan City want to foot the bill, so Berwick and other entities can profit and hurt the growth of Mor-gan City?” Dragna asked last week.
Arthur said Dragna’s move was “irrational,” and he said information provided by Dragna was “definitely 100% wrong.”
“We’re not going to pay the city of Morgan City for their fire department,” Arthur said. “They have a wonderful fire department. Look, we have a good working relationship, but that’s not our responsibility to pay for the fire department. That’s the city of Morgan City’s problem.”
In the last two years, Arthur said the Berwick Volunteer Fire Department requested mutual aid from Morgan City once, in 2019. He said that call was canceled before Morgan City arrived.
In its statement, the Amelia Volunteer Fire Department said that between Jan. 1, 2018, and Dec. 31, 2020, the department responded to 818 calls. Of those, four were in Morgan City and six were to other departments.
“Within the same time period, Amelia Volunteer Fire Department has requested assistance five times from Morgan City Fire Department,” the statement said.
In his remarks about Amelia at the council meeting, Dragna said there is likely a 20% chance that when Morgan City responds to a fire in Amelia that it is in an industrial area. He said Morgan City often handles the more challenging portions of the firefight, because they have the training.
In its response, the Amelia Volunteer Fire Department said while the department has just 12 active firefighters, all are certified through LSU in hazmat aware-ness and operations, and 92% have a Fire Fighter I certification through LSU. Sixty-seven percent of the department has a Fire Fighter II certification through LSU, while 33% of the department has a certified instructor designation through LSU.
The department has nine licensed emergency medical responders and two emergency medical technicians, too.
The Morgan City Fire Department, along with the Amelia and Berwick volunteer fire departments. are joined in the parish’s mutual aid pact by the Franklin, Chitimacha and St. Mary Parish Fire Protection District No. 11 (Four Corners, Sorrell and Glencoe areas) departments as well as volunteer fire departments in Cypremort Point, Baldwin, Centerville, Patterson and Bayou Vista.
The parish fire departments’ mutual aid agreement states that any department fighting a fire may call upon another department in this pact for aid, and the requested department will provide equipment and any personnel it can for the scope of the incident.
If aid cannot be pro-vided, the department contacted will notify the requesting agency, so it can reach out to another agency.
The last statement in the agreement addresses opting out.
“This agreement supersedes any previous agreement and will remain in force for five years from the document renewal date,” the agreement said. “This agreement may be terminated within 90 days upon a written notification to the participating de-partments.”
The agreement was renewed Sept. 23, 2020, with all the parish fire department chiefs sign-ing it. It is set to expire on Sept. 23, 2025.
Arthur, a longtime public servant who has served in such capacities as Berwick police chief and St. Mary Parish homeland security and emergency preparedness director, said the pact has been in existence among parish departments for at least 30 years, and he has never recalled a department opting out.
“There’s reasons why we do it,” Arthur said. He said departments can back one other and do so legally.
“That’s the whole purpose of it,” he said.

October 13, 1944 — February 4, 2021
It is with heavy hearts that we celebrate the life of Frank Vincent Lipari, a longtime resident of Lake Charles, who passed away at the age of 76 on Thursday, February 4, 2021, at Evergreen Group Home in Lake Charles.
Born in Patterson on October 13, 1944, Frank was the youngest of three children born to Mike and Lorena Lipari. He was a prominent member of the Evergreen family, where he resided for over 48 years. An outgoing man who enjoyed life, Frank especially enjoyed Italian eats and treats, attending parties, and dancing. He was baptized into the Catholic faith at an early age and specifically loved attending annual St. Joseph Altars. He will be dearly missed by all who were privileged to have known him.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Mike F. Lipari and Lorena Listi Lipari; an infant brother, Joseph Lipari; and his sister, Lucy Antonia Lipari.
Left to cherish his memory is a host of family and friends.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there will be no public visitation. Public funeral services will be held Tuesday, February 9, 2021, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Patterson during a 2 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial, with the rosary being prayed at 1:30 p.m. Following the Mass he will be laid to rest in St. Joseph Cemetery. Monsignor J. Douglas Courville JCL will be the Celebrant for the Mass and conduct the services. Covid-19 safety practices are required for all in attendance.
2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
Psalm 116:15 “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.”
Family and friends may view the obituary online by visiting www.iberts.com and are encouraged to share their condolences, cherished memories, love, and support for the family.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Ibert’s Mortuary, Inc., 1111 Lia Street, Patterson, LA 70392, (985) 395-7873.