CLAIBORNE PARISH DEPUTY DAVID MORGAN
is being treated by emergency personnel before being airlifted to LSU Medical
Center in Shreveport for injuries sustained in a crash following a high speed
chase last Wednesday, July 26. Deputy Randy Pugh was in pursuit of Gregory
Charles Drake, 24, of Athens,
who had several outstanding warrants for his arrest. Drake fled on foot, but
was apprehended and arrested Friday morning in Athens. Morgan
sustained severe injuries to his right leg which will mean months of
rehabilitation. He was released from the hospital on Monday and he is
continuing to recover at home.
High Speed Chase Ends In
Crash
Sheriff Deputy David Morgan Airlifted To LSU Medical Center
BY
SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Claiborne Parish Deputy David
Morgan was injured following a high speed chase last Wednesday, July 26, at
approximately 4 PM when the suspect being pursued by Deputy Randy Pugh failed
to stop at the intersection of La. 9 and Isaac Creek Road, colliding with a
Ford pickup truck traveling north on La. 9, forcing it into the path of Deputy
Morgan’s patrol unit. According to Claiborne Parish Sheriff Ken Bailey, Deputy
Randy Pugh was on routine patrol when he recognized the driver of a maroon
4-door Buick passenger car to be Gregory Charles Drake, 24, of Athens.
Realizing there were several
outstanding warrants for Drake, Pugh activated his emergency lights and siren
in attempt to stop Drake’s vehicle. The subject refused to stop. Other
Claiborne Parish deputies, including Deputy Morgan, responded in an attempt to
assist Pugh. Pugh continued to pursue Drake’s vehicle, traveling at speeds in
excess of 90 mph, running numerous stop signs, failing to signal turns, and
narrowly missed several vehicles. Drake’s vehicle crashed into a Ford pickup
truck owned by Covington Company, Inc. Drake exited the
vehicle the vehicle and fled the scene on foot. A female passenger in the Buick
was detained and questioned, then later released.
Morgan was removed from the vehicle and airlifted to the LSU Medical Center in Shreveport where he underwent surgery on his leg. Occupants of the other vehicles involved in the accident were treated by medical personnel on the scene and released. The Louisiana State Police were contacted to assist in the investigation.
Due to the severity of this
accident, efforts of numerous agencies were required to effectively handle the
emergency, In addition to Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies,
assistance was given by Homer Police Department officers, personnel from
Life-Air helicopter, Claiborne Ambulance and all Claiborne Parish Fire
Departments and Fire Districts, as well as the Bienville Parish Sheriff Office.
Gregory Charles Drake was pursued through the cooperative efforts of
the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office and the David Wade Correctional Team. The
investigation led by Detectives Randy Smith and Duffy Gandy led to the capture
and arrest of Drake in the early morning hours on Monday, July 28 at 157
Horseshoe Lane in Athens.
In addition to four outstanding
warrants on file in Claiborne Parish and five outstanding warrants in Bienville
Parish, eight additional warrants were issued for Drake’s arrest including 6
counts of disobeying a stop sign, failure to use turn signals, and aggravated
flight from an officer. With the four original warrants for possession of
marijuana, reckless operation of a vehicle, improper lane usage, and flight
from an officer, the total bond for Claiborne Parish was $39,500.
Drake was also charged with
Bienville Parish warrants on five (5) counts of contributing to the delinquency
of minors, resisting an officer, illegal carrying of weapons, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and
possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute. Bond for Bienville
Parish charges was set at $195,000. Once the Louisiana State Police completes
their investigation, other warrants will be issued.
Sheriff Ken Bailey would like
to take this opportunity to express gratitude to the citizens of Claiborne
Parish for the support and aid given in concluding this arrest. He would like
to remind everyone that if they have information regarding any illegal activity,
please feel free to contact the Sheriff’s Office at
(318) 927-2011 or 927-9800.
In the event of an emergency
situation, dispatchers at the Sheriff’s Office are responsible for contacting
the appropriate personnel to respond to the emergency as quickly as possible.
Anyone wishing information about an emergency is asked to please refrain from
calling the Sheriff’s Office during an emergency. This will keep communication
lines open and will enable dispatchers to inform the necessary agencies of the
situation. This will ensure the fastest response time possible. Bailey said,
“As citizens of Claiborne Parish, your safety is our primary concern.”
THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT LAST WEDNESDAY
at the intersection of La. 9 and Isaac Creek Road
following a high speed chase that ended in a three vehicle crash and sent one
Claiborne Parish deputy to the hospital. Emergency personnel from across
Claiborne Parish, Fire Districts, Claiborne Ambulance, Louisiana State Police,
Life Air personnel, Bienville Parish deputies, and the David Wade Correctional
Center Chase Team were dispatched to the scene for assistance.
Homer Police Arrest Man For Shooting Juvenile
BY
SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Homer Police officers arrested
Travis D. Smith, 18, of Homer after witnesses at the scene identified him as
the person who shot a 14-year-old male juvenile on Saturday night, July 22.
Officers were dispatched to 1508 Hill Street at approximately 11
PM
after receiving a 911 call of shots being fired and a person being shot. When
officers arrived, a large crowd of young people had gathered. They found one
young male who had been shot once in the right thigh about 3-4 inches above his
knee. He was transported to Homer Memorial Hospital by Claiborne Ambulance where he was treated and released.
Witnesses named Smith as the
shooter. Other witnesses advised officers that Smith had been involved in a
verbal altercation with the juvenile in the middle of Hill Street prior to the shooting,
apparently the result of an ongoing feud for the past several months.
The juvenile had entered the
residence at 1508 Hill Street. As he was leaving, witnesses
say Smith shot 3-4 times in his direction. Two spent .25 caliber casings were found
in the vicinity where Smith had been standing, approximately 130 feet from
where the juvenile was shot. The wound appeared to have been caused by a small
caliber weapon.
Smith denied any involvement in
the shooting, however, reporting officers later discovered the windshield in
Smith’s car had been shot twice, although the bullets did not penetrate all the
way through and the bullets were never found. There was also a dent in the hood
of the car which appeared to be made by a bullet. Witnesses told officers they
saw Smith running toward his car when his car was struck by bullets, but it was
unclear who was doing the shooting.
Homer Police officers
investigating the shooting were Sgt. Jimmy Hamilton, Keith Ferguson, and Mario
Thomas.
Smith was charged with
aggravated second degree battery and illegal use of a weapon. He was booked
into the Claiborne Parish Detention Center on $30,000 bond.
Shooting Under Investigation By Sheriff’s Office
Claiborne Parish Sheriff Deputy
was dispatched to the Homer Memorial Hospital on Wednesday, July 26 in
reference to a man being treated for a gunshot wound. Claiborne Parish Sheriff
Ken Bailey said that after the initial investigation, Deputy Pugh determined
the victim had been shot by Dashun Jamar Merritt, 25, of Homer.
Detective Randy Smith with the
Criminal Investigative Division of Sheriff’s Office was called to the scene to
continue the investigation. He
questioned several witnesses who were able to identify Merritt as the shooter.
Merritt was arrested by
Detective Smith and transported to the Claiborne Parish Detention Center where he was booked and
charged with aggravated battery, with bond set at $25,000.
Stolen Party Barge
Recovered,
Monroe
Man Arrested
BY
SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
When Clayton Hays’ party barge
was stolen last April, he knew chances were he might never see the barge again.
He offered a $500 reward, hoping someone may have seen the person who drove
into his yard between Sunday evening, April 16 and Monday morning, April 17,
hooked up the 1997 Suntracker party barge, and drove off. Then, on Thursday,
July 20, the Monroe Police Department received a call that a party barge had
been parked near an abandoned building off Louisville Road several days.
The hull identification numbers
had been altered. 
Numbers had been written over with a permanent marker, however, original numbers were still visible. A
check of the altered numbers revealed a citation had been issued on Saturday,
July 15 to Ralph David Porter, 32, on Caney Lake in Jackson Parish for life
jacket violations.
According to Captain Alan
Bankston with the enforcement division of Wildlife and Fisheries in Monroe, agents were initially unaware
the barge had been stolen until they were contacted by the Claiborne Parish
Sheriff’s Office. They joined in the investigation.
A check of the original
identification numbers, still visible, confirmed the party barge was the same
one stolen from Hays’ residence on La. 9 south of Homer in April.
Wildlife and Fisheries issued
an arrest warrant for Porter on Friday, July 21, charging him with illegal
possession of stolen property. Porter had already been arrested on a
probation/parole violation and was being held in the Morehouse jail.
Bankston said Porter denied
stealing the barge. He told agents he did not own the boat, but was only trying
it out. Wildlife and Fisheries have since issued additional charges against
Porter, charging him with altered certificate number and no boat registration
in possession.
Porter is also listed on the
Louisiana State Police Sex Offender and Child Predator Registry at
http://lasocpr1.lsp.org/ convicted in May 1996 for indecent behavior with
juveniles.
Hays picked up the barge on
Friday, July 21. The canopy was gone but the 1995 Mercury 90 hp outboard motor
was still attached and appeared to be in good shape. The ignition, however, had
been replaced.
The investigation is
continuing. Anyone with information on this crime is urged to contact
Detectives Randy Smith or Duffy Gandy with the Criminal Investigative Division
by calling 927-9800 or the Sheriff’s Office at 927-2011.
Candidates Qualify Next
Week For Fall Election
BY
SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Candidates will begin
qualifying next week for the fall election to be held September 30, 2006. The qualifying period will be held Wednesday, Thursday,
and Friday, August 9-11, 2006. The last day to register for
the September 30 election will be August 30, 2006.
The qualifying period for fall
elections to be held next week are for the following offices:
Four year terms (from January
1, 2007 to December 31, 2010) will be determined for all Claiborne Parish
School Board members; Athens mayor, Athens chief of police, and three (3)
at-large aldermen in Athens; Homer mayor, Homer marshall (chief of police), and
Homer selectman in Districts 1-5; Junction City mayor, chief of police and
three (3) at-large aldermen in Junction City; and the unexpired term for Police
Juror in District 3, due to the resignation of Weldon Kilpatrick. Candidates
who intend to qualify must be domiciled within the municipality or district for
the office for which they are running.
Ten year terms (January 1, 2007 - December 31, 2016) will be decided for Associate
Justice for Supreme Court
in District 4 and Court of Appeal Judge. Also to be decided are
the 2-year term (January 3, 2007 - January 3, 2009) for U. S. Representative in
the 4th Congressional District (Jim McCrery’s seat), and the unexpired terms
for Louisiana Secretary of State and Commissioner of Insurance.
Candidates can qualify at the Claiborne Parish
Clerk of Court office from 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM, Wednesday and Thursday,
August 9-10; and from 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM on Friday, August 11.
Qualifying fees for mayoral,
police chief, and alderman or council positions in Homer, Athens, and Junction City will be $80 for persons
registered Republican or Democrat, and $40 for independent and all other
parties. Fees for school board and police jury candidates will be $230 for
Republican or Democrat, and $115 for all other parties, or independent
candidates.
No personal checks will be
accepted for qualifying fees. Payment must be paid by cash or certified or
cashier’s check on a state or national bank or credit union, or a U.S. postal money order.
Also on the September 30, 2006 ballot will be a 7 year, 1/8% sales and use tax
proposition for the Claiborne Parish Watershed District.
Voter Registration Week has
been designated for August 7-11, 2006. Claiborne Parish Registrar of
Voters Patricia Sanders is asking all registered voters to notify her office if
they have changed their residence or name, or if the residence address on file
in the Registrar’s office is incomplete or if their mailing address has
changed. Anyone who has not voted in the last two federal elections or anyone
with an incomplete or new address may have been placed on the inactive
list. The last day to make changes or to
register to vote is Wednesday, August 30, 2006.
For more information or to make
a change, contact Sanders at 927-3332 or stop by the Registrar’s Office located
in the Claiborne Police Jury Office Complex.
Important upcoming election
dates:
August 9-11 - Qualifying for
September 30 election
August 30 - Books close for
September 30 election
September 18-23 - Early or
absentee voting for Sept. 30 election
September 30 - Election Day
October 9 - Books close for
November 7 election
October 26-31 - Early or
absentee voting for Nov. 7 election
November 7 - Election Day
November 8 - Books close
November 27-December 2 - Early
or absentee voting for December 7 election
December 7 - Election Day
AREA RESIDENTS HUNTER SPILLERS, Kyle Peterson and Sarah
Clements are shown here with John Goodman, star of the
new upcoming NBC movie, “The Year Without A Santa
Claus.”
Locals Selected As Extras In “Santa” Film
BY
SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Hunter Spillers of Homer, Sarah
and Daphne Clements of Lisbon and their relatives, Terry and Kyle Peterson of Minden, recently attended a casting
call in Natchitoches. They will all feature as
extras in the upcoming Christmas movie, “The Year Without A
Santa Claus.” It is a heartwarming story
of how a child’s wish saves the relationship he has with his father and also
saves the small Southern town which his father serves as mayor.
Santa had already made a
decision to retire because children didn’t believe in him anymore, when he
receives little Iggy’s Christmas wish. After receiving Iggy’s wish, Santa takes
a trip down to South Town to make Christmas magic and
give Iggy his Christmas gift.
The five locals who will appear
in the film met with star John Goodman (Roseanne) who plays Santa in the movie,
Eddie Griffin (Duece Bigalow and Undercover Brother) and Ethan Suplee (Remember
the Titans and My Name is Earl), who both play Santa’s elves.
Be sure to look for Hunter,
Sarah, Daphne, Terry, and Kyle when you watch “The year Without A Santa Clause” which will air on NBC this Christmas.
Mills Seeks Citizens’
Support For Chief
BY
SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Russell Mills would like to
announce his intentions to seek the office of Chief of Police for the Town of Homer and respectfully ask the
citizens of 
Homer to give him the opportunity to continue to serve them. Mills
said he believes the Police Chief should be a person of honesty and integrity,
one who will fairly administer the law of the land without prejudice, who will
protect the innocent and pursue the lawbreakers, who will work tirelessly to
bring criminals and drug dealers to justice, and who will aggressively work to
solve every crime.
Mills said, above all, he wants
the Town of Homer to be a place where citizens can live in safety and
comfort. He has been a resident of Claiborne Parish all of his adult life,
which is more than 20 years. He has come to love the town and its citizens, and
realizes Homer has great potential. He wants every citizen to be able to say
with pride, “I am from Homer. It is a great little town.”
Since Mills was appointed by
Governor Kathleen Blanco on January 27, 2006 to fill the unexpired term of
outgoing Police Chief Rodney Hollenshead, the Police Department has cut
expenditures and increased collections for a total of over $53,000 in the first
six months of 2006, compared to the first six months in 2005.
Shortly after his appointment,
Mills met with police officers, informing them existing department policy would
be closely adhered to. Officers should be held to a higher standard, should not
engage in any immoral activity, nor conduct themselves in a manner unbecoming
to an officer.
At that time he also presented
each officer with a copy of the policy, along with the following mission
statement: “It is the mission of the Homer Police Department to work with the
citizens of our community to preserve life, maintain human rights, protect
property, and promote individual responsibility and community commitment. We
seek to be a catalyst for positive change through persistent, personalized and
cost effective use of public safety resources. By embracing the values of
pride, professionalism and integrity, we remain committed to maintaining the
public trust.”
Mills said it has been a
privilege to serve the citizens of Homer for the past 15 years as a police
officer, and it has been a greater privilege to serve them as Chief of Police.
There are many wonderful people who live here and he believes they deserve the
opportunity to live in peace. He said, “Everyone deserves to live in a safe
neighborhood, without fear of danger that someone might break in and harm them.
Parents and grandparents want to know their children are safe when playing
outside, without fear someone will try to sell them
drugs on the corner.”
Drugs are a big problem, not
only in Homer, but everywhere. Drugs destroy lives. Drugs destroy homes. Drugs
destroy communities. If we can stop the drugs, we will save the lives of many
of our young people. “Our youth are our future,” he said. “The police
department is bound to uphold the law and arrest lawbreakers, but they can also
play a positive role in helping direct young adults toward a productive role in
society, rather than a life of crime.”
Mills admits this is not
something he or the Homer Police Department can do alone; it will take an effort
and commitment of the entire community. For citizens to be willing to step
forward, he knows they must be able to trust their police department. Mills
said, “I know I can earn that trust if the good citizens will give me a
chance.”
We have a growing elderly
population in Homer. Our senior citizens are generally our most vulnerable
citizens. They deserve the right to go to sleep at night knowing their
community is safe.
Mills concluded by saying, “I
am not a politician. I am a law enforcement officer.” He does not believe
politics should play a role in law enforcement. He owes allegiance to no
person, group, or organization. His only allegiance is to serve and protect
each and every citizen in the Town of Homer.
“My primary goal as Police
Chief is run this office with honesty and integrity; and to establish and
retain the confidence and respect of the citizens in the Town of Homer,” stated Mills. “To do this,
our police officers must exercise their duties to protect and serve in a fair
and impartial manner, and they must do so with respect for all citizens,
without prejudice.”
Mills said, “I look forward to
meeting with every citizen in the Town of Homer, to listen to their concerns
and share with them my hopes for the betterment of our Town.”
I would like to remind citizens
the Homer Police Department has always had and will continue to have an open
door policy. Anyone wishing to stop by and discuss issues concerning the town is strongly
urged to do so. Mills said he can also be contacted anytime, day or night, by
calling his cell phone at (318) 245-2149 or the Homer Police Department at
927-4000 or 927-4001, or email me at .
“Remember, your concern is my
concern. Let’s work together to make Homer a better place,” Mills said. “I
humbly ask that you consider voting to allow me to continue to serve as your
Police Chief when you go to the polls on Saturday, September 30.”
Back-To-School Swim
Thursday, August 3, 6-8 PM
Pool Manager Maz Bursey said
the Back-To-School Swim has been rescheduled and will be held this Thursday,
August 3 from 6-8 PM at the Homer Natatorium. King David Lodge #78 will
provide hot dogs and cokes for swimmers. Admission is $1. Town pools will close
Friday, August 11 for summer. For more information, call the Mayfield Pool at
927-2484 or the Homer Natatorium at 927-4859.
July
4th Fireworks Sets Schedule For 2007
Claiborne Fireworks, Inc., in
an effort to make our annual Lake Claiborne Fireworks and Boat Show convenient
to as many as possible, have decided on the following as a permanent scheduling
policy. When July 4th falls on either
Friday or Saturday, the Fireworks Show will be held that day,on
the Fourth of July. Otherwise, if the Fourth of July falls on a Sunday through
Thursday, the Fireworks Show will be held on the preceding Saturday night.
In 2007, when July 4 falls on
Wednesday, the Fireworks Show will be held on Saturday, June 30. As the date
approaches, the show time will be advertised in the local and area media.
