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A 53-year-old Patterson woman was found in possession of a bag of methamphetamine and pipes used to smoke the drug during a traffic stop, St. Mary Parish Sheriff Mark Hebert said in a news release.

—Charlotte McNabb, 53, of Riverview Drive in Patterson, was arrested at 6:24 p.m. Monday on charges of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia, obstruction of justice, and transactions involving drug proceeds.

Detectives of the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office narcotics section conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle on U.S. 90 in Patterson. Detectives identified McNabb as the passenger as they observed her attempting to conceal an item in her pants.

McNabb also had a plastic container in her lap. Detectives received consent to search and found methamphetamine, a scale, multiple plastic bags, and $200 in the plastic container. Detectives located a bag of methamphetamine concealed on McNabb and found pipes used to smoke methamphetamine in her purse. McNabb was jailed with no bail set

Hebert reported the following arrests:

—Giang Duval, 36, of Carmen Street in Patterson, was arrested at 10:56 a.m. Monday on a warrant for failure to appear on the charges of possession of Schedule I drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia.

—Phi Duval, 33, of Vivian Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 10:56 a.m. Monday on a warrant for failure to appear on the charges of possession of Schedule I drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Phi Duval was also charged on a warrant for failure to appear on the charge of theft of goods. A deputy responding to a 911 hang-up call at a home on Emy Lane in Patterson spoke with Giang Duval and Phi Duval.

The deputy found that both people had active warrants for their arrests. Giang Duval and Phi Duval were transported and jailed with no bail set.

—Clara Watkins, 66, of Glenwood Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 1:01 p.m. Monday on a warrant for failure to appear on the charges of speeding and operating a vehicle with a suspended driver’s license. Watkins turned herself in at the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center. No bail is set.

—Lacey Yates, 34, of Bayou Black Drive in Gibson, was arrested at 6:58 p.m. Monday on a warrant for failure to appear on the charges of direct contempt, improper lane usage, and failure to honor written promise to appear.

A deputy responded to a 911 hang-up call at a home on La. 182 in Bayou Vista and spoke with Yates. The deputy located the active warrant for her arrest. Yates was jailed.

—Angelo Giandelone Sr., 35, of La. 182 in Patterson, was arrested at 10:58 p.m. Monday on a charge of domestic abuse battery.

Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in progress at a home in Patterson. During the investigation, deputies found evidence that Giandelone grabbed a female victim by the hair. Giandelone was jailed and then released on $2,500 bail.

Blair reported the following arrests:

—Laquette M. Porter, 29, of Van Buren Drive in Lafayette, was arrested at 2:22 a.m. Tuesday on charges of possession of marijuana, hydrocodone, Adderall and drug paraphernalia. Porter was also charged with illegal use of controlled dangerous substance in the presence of a juvenile.

—Deangela E. Celestine, 21, of Duson, was arrested at 2:22 a.m. Tuesday on charges of driving under suspension, improper lane usage, improper signaling and no child restraint.

Patrol officers initiated a traffic stop after observing a vehicle being operated in an erratic manner in the area of U.S. 90. Celestine was identified as the operator of the vehicle and Porter the passenger.

During the traffic stop, officers learned that Celestine’s driver’s license was under suspension. In addition, officers learned that Porter was in possession of suspected marijuana, hydrocodone, Adderall, and drug paraphernalia. Porter did not have an active prescription for the hydrocodone or Adderall. There was also an unrestrained child in the vehicle. Celestine and Porter were jailed.

—Margaret Miskelley, 26, of Leona Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 3:24 p.m. Monday. Miskelley was charged with a warrant for two counts of failure to appear to pay fine. Miskelley was located and arrested in the area of Leona Street on active warrants held by the 6th Ward Morgan City Court. Miskelley was jailed.

—Keshawn A. Gray, 20, of Tiffany Street in Patterson, was arrested at 5:30 p.m. Monday on charges of driving under suspension and careless operation of a motor vehicle.

Officers responded to the area of U.S. 90 in regard to a vehicle crash. Officers obtained evidence placing Gray as the operator of the vehicle. Gray was operating his vehicle in a careless manner, which resulted in the crash. Gray’s Louisiana driver’s license was found to be under suspension. Gray was jailed.

—Louis D. Topham, 41, of Aucoin Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 7:55 p.m. Monday and charged with possession of marijuana and a warrant for probation violation.

—Marcus S. Hatch, 42, of Fourth Street in Berwick, was arrested at 7:55 p.m. Monday on a warrant for failure to appear to pay restitution.

Officers initiated a traffic stop in the area of Chester Bowles Street. Topham and Hatch were identified as passengers. Officers learned that Topham and Hatch had active city court warrants. Topham and Hatch were jailed.

—Harrell Brooks Jr., 53, of La. 182 in Morgan City, was arrested at 2:09 a.m. Tuesday for domestic abuse battery. Patrol officers responded to a home in the area of La. 182 in regard to a disturbance. Officers arrived and identified Brooks as a suspect who allegedly struck the victim during an argument. Brooks was jailed.

Patterson Police Chief Patrick LaSalle reported the following arrests:

—Earl Otis, 59, of Talbert Street in Franklin, was arrested at 5:09 p.m. Monday on a charge of obscenity. He was jailed with bail set at $277.

—Savannha Hebert, 24, of St. Luke Street in Patterson, was arrested at 6:25 p.m. Monday on a charge of domestic simple battery. Hebert was released on $2,500 bail.

Berwick Police Chief James Richard reported no arrests.

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Residents of lower St. Martin Parish who have been diligently working to keep their homes from flooding may get a reprieve from the rain that has made flood waters rise higher.

Rain was supposed to move out of the forecast Wednesday and not return until Sunday when the area should see a 50 percent chance of thunderstorms, according to the National Weather Service.

Angel Allemand and her children were filling sandbags Tuesday to place around their home in Bayou Estates Subdivision. Water was close to getting in to her home from both the front and back next to the bayou, Allemand said.

Monday night’s downpour brought the water a lot higher and closer to flooding the home, she said.

St. Martin Parish Councilman Byron Fuselier said parish officials had to shut off pumps Monday evening because the water came up so fast the pumps couldn’t keep up. A few homes got water in them as a result of the quick rise, Fuselier said.

Bayou Long rose from 3 feet to 3.3 feet above sea level but dropped to 3.15 feet shortly after that rise, resident Elwood Scully said. If the area gets a north wind, the waters should recede well. But a southerly wind and more heavy rain could worsen the situation, Scully said.

Streets and sewer systems have been flooded in Stephensville during the past few weeks. The flooding is worse in Stephensville than it was in January 2016 when the Atchafalaya River crested at 8.2 feet in Morgan City. The river crested last week at about 7.2 feet.

As of Wednesday morning, the Atchafalaya had just dipped under 7 feet at 6.98 feet. The forecast shows the river should stay around 7 feet to 7.1 feet through Tuesday.

Heavy rain in Stephensville and upriver has worsened the flooding.

“When we get a heavy rain above us, this is when we really get the problem. As long as we don’t get a rain on us and above us, we normally drain good ,” Scully said.

An official from U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins’ office attended Tuesday’s St. Martin Parish Council meeting, and parish officials discussed a flood protection project that area leaders are trying to expedite, Fuselier said.

That project includes installation of sheet piles along the north canal and most eastern canal in Stephensville, a 30-foot-wide floodgate on the north side of Bayou Estates Subdivision and a new drainage pumping station on the eastern canal side to create a forced drainage area during storms. The structure would protect buildings from flooding up to 4 feet above sea level.

St. Martin Parish leaders have been pushing since 2011 to implement the project, but are still awaiting a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Anthony “Gee” Billiot, 89, a resident of Bayou Vista, passed away Sunday, June 4, 2017, at his residence.
Gee was born July 29, 1927, in Morgan City, the son of Oristile Billiot and Jean Smith Billiot.
Gee served his country proudly in the United States Army during World War II. He was a member of Knights of Columbus and a faithful parishioner of St. Bernadette Catholic Church in Bayou Vista. He loved hunting, being at the camp, and spending time with his family. He was a very hard worker who always provided for his family.
He will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered by his three sons, Kenneth Billiot and wife Sue of Arkansas, Gordon Billiot and wife Peggy of Patterson, and Ricky Billiot and wife Lora of Youngsville; two daughters, Patricia Rock and husband Ross of Morgan City, and Goldie Vantromp and husband Jared of Berwick; 16 grandchildren; 32 great-grandchildren; and nine great-great-grandchildren.
Mr. Gee’s family would like to give a special thanks to Notre Dame Hospice for all that they have done in caring for him.
Gee was preceded in death by his wife, Helen Grandin Billiot; parents, Oristile Billiot and Jean Smith Billiot; daughter, Priscilla Mae Billiot; four sisters, Adeline Verdin, Audrey Rock, Louise Ruff and Dorothy Billiot; four brothers, Hughes Billiot, James Billiot, Huey Billiot and Victor Billiot; and two granddaughters, Nicole Young and Christen Billiot.
Funeral services will be held at St. Bernadette Catholic Church on Wednesday, June 7, 2017, with Father Cremaldi officiating. There will be a visitation from 8 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. at Twin City Funeral Home. After the services, Gee will be laid to rest in the Morgan City Cemetery with Military Honors rendered by the East St. Mary Veterans Funeral Squad.