Accident turns fatal
The Guardian-Journal photo/Michelle Bates
This photo, dated Tuesday, June 24, shows
the Ford F150 pickup after it rolled several times, ejecting the driver. It is
not known whether alcohol was involved at this time.
Truck rolls ejecting driver, pet
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
A woman was airlifted to Shreveport after she was ejected
from her vehicle.
On Tuesday, June 24, at approximately 2:30 p.m., the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Department received a call in reference to a one vehicle
rollover accident on Hwy. 146 at the entrance to Lake Claiborne State Park.
Pafford Ambulance Service, Fire District 4 Search and
Rescue as well as the Louisiana State Police were dispatched to the scene.
When emergency services arrived, the driver of the dark
red F150 Ford pickup was put into an ambulance, where emergency personnel
worked quickly to stabilize her. With severe injuries, she was airlifted by
Pafford Air One to Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center’s trauma center where she later died.
An eyewitness said he saw the whole thing.
“She came around the curve too fast and started going
sideways,” said Earl Banks, who was working in his yard at the time. “It started
sliding and then it started flipping. I went to the truck and looked for her
inside, but I couldn’t find her. I looked around and there she was laying in
the ditch.”
A small dog was also in the vehicle at the time of the
accident. Luckily, it appeared the pooch sustained no injuries.
As of press time, it is not known whether the driver was
wearing a seatbelt or if alcohol was involved.
“We don’t know if alcohol was involved,” said Claiborne
Parish Sheriff’s Deputy Ben Booth, “but a blood alcohol test will be done.”
An autopsy will be performed with toxicology reports
pending. The name of the deceased has not been released pending family
notification.
Man charged with making terror threats
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
A Minden man was arrested in Claiborne Parish on an Arkansas warrant after threatening to kill someone over some rental equipment.
James R. Cannon, 54, of Minden, was arrested Tuesday,
June 17, by Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Detective Lt. Randy Pugh on the warrant
issued for terroristic threats, first degree. On Friday, June 20, he was
extradited to Union County, Arkansas, by the El Dorado Police Department.
Cannon later bonded out on a $25,000 bond.
According to the El Dorado police report, Officer J.G.
Crain received a complaint from the owner of Vines Equipment in Shongaloo,
located in Webster Parish. The owner advised Crain that Cannon – who owns
Marine Pile Drivers in Homer – had been renting equipment from him for
approximately two years, but Cannon was regularly late on paying the monthly rental
fee, sometimes falling behind two to three months.
Because of Cannon’s payment history, the owner of Vines
Equipment decided to repossess the equipment in question, the police report
stated.
On Tuesday, June 3, the owner, along with Claiborne
Parish Sheriff’s Deputies, went to Marine Pile Drivers and repossessed the
equipment.
At approximately 5 p.m. that same day, Cannon called the
owner at his place of business located in El Dorado. The victim stated Cannon
was angry about the repossession and threatened to kill him if the equipment
was not returned. The victim also stated that Cannon made contact with another
Vines Equipment employee, threatening that employee as well, according to the
report.
“That incident was reported to another agency,” the report
said. “Vines stated that other of his employees [sic] had been threatened by
Cannon in the past.”
Captain Billy White of the El Dorado Police Department
later contacted the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Department’s Criminal
Investigations Division with the warrant information and Pugh picked up Cannon
and transported him to the Claiborne Parish Detention Center, awaiting
extradition.
His arraignment, or “first appearance,” was made on
Friday, June 20, in the Union County Circuit Court, 13th District. His next
court appearance has not been set yet.
First degree terror threats are considered a Class D
felony, and if convicted, Arkansas Criminal Code states Cannon could face no
more than six years imprisonment, fine not exceeding $10,000.
$50,000 bond set for drive-by shooter
The Guardian-Journal
A Haynesville man was arrested in connection with a
drive-by shooting that occurred last weekend.
Cameron D. Cockrell, of Haynesville, was arrested Friday,
June 20, and charged with assault by drive-by shooting, aggravated assault on a
peace officer with a firearm, possession/carrying of a firearm by a convicted
felon, and a probation/parole violation.
Bond was set at $50,000 for the drive-by shooting charge,
$10,000 each on the aggravated assault charge and possession/carrying of a
firearm charge and no bond was set for the probation/parole violation charge,
meaning Cockrell is still incarcerated at this time. Total bond was $70,000.
According to police reports, Cockrell was arrested by
Haynesville Police Officer Aaron Christian and charged with the assault on a
peace officer with a firearm after he allegedly fired a .22 caliber firearm at
another officer’s residence.
Witnesses came forward identifying Cockrell as the
shooter, stating he’d used a Viper 22. According to reports, the suspect
admitted to having the weapon, bringing about the possession/carrying of a
firearm by a convicted felon.
Cockrell was arrested and transported to the Claiborne Parish Detention Center for booking.
The investigation into the incident is still ongoing.
In an unrelated case, Daniel W. Bernard, of Ruston, was arrested Tuesday, June 17, racking up several charges.
Bernard is reported to have gotten into an argument with
officers during a traffic stop, which brought on the charge of threatening a
public official. He was also charged with his fourth DWI, two counts of
resisting an officer, one count of disturbing the peace and one count open
container. Bond for the fourth DWI charge was set at $30,000, with the other
charges set at $500 each.
‘Got a V8?’
Man hit with juice can
The Guardian-Journal
Two men were arrested Tuesday, June 17, when Homer police
were dispatched to a residence in reference to a fight.
Roy Lee Jones, of Homer, was charged with disturbing the
peace, and L.C. Hamilton was charged with simple battery. Bond for both was set
at $500 each.
According to police reports, the altercation ensued when
Jones reportedly told Hamilton not to walk in front of his house. For unknown
reasons, Jones allegedly went after Hamilton throwing a can of V8 juice at him.
Reports state Hamilton admitted to hitting Jones with the
juice container, bringing about the simple battery charge.
Both were taken to the Homer Police Department, paperwork
filled out and transported to the Claiborne Parish Detention Center.
Police canines to aid in drug
enforcement program
The Guardian-Journal photo/Michelle Bates
Crockett, the newest addition to the
Haynesville Police Department, “alerts” on the “narcotics” found under this
cover in this photo, dated June 19. His partner, Craig Crawford is expected to
be formally hired at a special meeting to be held Thursday, June 26, at 6 p.m. A demonstration was held at Haynesville’s regular town council meeting where Chief
Anthony Smith also introduced the Canine Interdiction Association, the program
through which Crockett was provided.
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
The Haynesville Police Department is launching a program
to curb drugs in their schools.
By joining with the Canine Interdiction Association,
police will have access to more canine officers to sniff out drugs in the
schools. Called “Kids In, Drugs Out,” Police Chief Anthony Smith has made it
his department’s goal to ensure the kids of his community are going to school
in a truly drug-free zone.
But this program is not just in Haynesville. The canines
will be used in schools throughout the parish as well. The dogs will also be
used for school functions, such as football games, or community functions where
there will be a large crowd gathered.
Being a part of this program helps police cut down on
search time in the schools, Smith said. With the extra dogs, his department
will be able to search the school in less than half the time as well as causing
very little disturbance in the classroom.
“We’ll be doing this all through the school year,” he
said. “They (the school) will come to us and set up a time and we’ll just show
up. It’ll take us 15 to 20 minutes; we’ll be in and out. We know if the kids
are safe, the parents are going to feel safer.”
Before, it took much longer and more manpower to conduct
the searches because officers had to go into the schools and search by hand.
Now, with the help of the extra dogs, they will be able to go in and let the
dogs search in less than half the time.
“Still, manpower cannot do what the dogs can do,” Smith
said. “We will have a minimum of six dogs and sometimes more than 12 dogs to
cover every area of the school. It won’t interrupt class, because the kids will
stay in their classrooms. The kids can go on with class.”
Smith said Haynesville doesn’t have a problem with drugs
in the school, but he did say that every time a canine search was conducted,
drugs have been found.
“This is a preventive measure, because drugs are
everywhere,” he said. “We want Claiborne Parish’s schools to be the safest.
Each time we’ve hit Haynesville schools, we’ve found drugs, but when we hit
Homer and other schools, we didn’t find anything, and that’s because they knew
we were coming. That’s the main key, keeping it low key.”
The Haynesville Police Department now has two canine
officers – Eddie, partnered with Officer Tim Cox, and Crockett, partnered with
newly hired Officer Craig Crawford. The dogs are “dual purpose” dogs, meaning
they are trained in narcotics as well as tracking.
Crockett, a German shepherd, comes from a special line,
where his father, Wolf, is considered the second best tracking dog in the
world, according to Norman Garner, co-founder of the Canine Interdiction
Association. Wolf participated in a sport called Schutzhund, where dogs use
their skills in tracking, obedience, and narcotics.
Crockett came to the Canine Interdiction Association from
North Carolina. Because of a minor medical issue, Crockett could not compete
in the sport, Garner said, so he picked him up and trained him.
Crockett is patrol and narcotics certified in street
drugs as well as prescription drugs.
“These certifications make him worth about $12,000,”
Garner said.
The Canine Interdiction Association, founded by Garner
and his wife Karen, is a statewide program where departments get trained dogs
for a fraction of the cost of other police dog programs. Through this
association, police departments either have their own dog or the association
donates a dog, and it is trained with a handler and the officer who will
partner with the dog. The police departments work with the association, who
trains the dogs, for five years.
“Basically, we take departments that don’t have the
finances (for a canine unit),” Garner, a former law enforcement officer, said.
“They can’t spend $10,000 for a dog.”
Garner trains dogs all over the region, including Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas.
According to Smith, there are more than 40 dogs in this
program, and 90 percent of those dogs are German shepherd breeds. These dogs
are in active service either until they are too old or pass away.
Law enforcement are increasing the use of canine units,
and this program is not the only one in the parish. The sheriff’s department
has a canine partnered with Deputy Paul Brazzel, and the DWCC Chase Team has a
unit of several dogs.
CPR course set for July
The Guardian-Journal
A first aid class will be held on Wednesday, July 16, as
well as a CPR/AED class Thursday, July 17 at the police jury building located
on The Square in Homer.
The two-day class will be taught by OEP and CERT trainer
Scott Greeson. The class will cover the basics of first aid and CPR as well as
automatic external defibrillators (AED).
The cost is $25 per class or $40 to take both. This fee
covers the cost of the books and certification cards. This course is good for
CERT trainers, healthcare providers and anyone wanting to join the CERT team.
The course has been made available through the American Heart Association and
certification cards will be passed out upon completion of the course.
For more information, call CERT director Wayne Hatfield
at 927-2961 or Greeson at 927-9400.
DA candidates talk about domestic abuse
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
The four candidates vying for the district attorney’s
seat for the Second Judicial District spoke to the Domestic Abuse Resistance
Team (DART) last Wednesday, focusing on their plans to combat domestic abuse.
The meeting began with each stating what they would do if
elected, but several important points were made throughout the meeting,
assuring the DART organization that domestic abuse would be a priority under
their administration.
Candidates Jonathan Stewart, Darrell Avery, David Newell
and Chris Bowman each made good points from different aspects of domestic abuse
and how to deal with it.
Avery said the biggest problem with domestic abuse cases
is that the victims won’t testify, stating that more than 90 percent of these
types of cases are not prosecuted for this very reason. Through research, he
found this to be a very widespread problem, and statistics show that 50 percent
of murder cases stem from domestic abuse.
“This 50 percent is really scary,” Avery said, and that’s
why there is such a need for a strong victim advocacy program that works with
local organizations like DART.
Newell, who worked as an indigent defender in Claiborne
Parish for 10 years, said he wants to work closely with DART, and organizations
like it, to prosecute each case to the fullest extent of the law, but he can’t
do it alone.
“The only way to prosecute these cases is to work with
law enforcement,” he said.
Many times, Newell said, a victim will retract his or her
story before it ever gets before a judge. This is why law enforcement are
learning to make their case and gather evidence without the victim, making it
easier for the district attorney’s office to move forward with a case.
Avery said law enforcement are being taught to listen to
what’s going on behind closed doors before they ever announce their presence.
They are being taught to document injuries and crime scenes, strengthening the
case before the victim ever makes a statement.
Stewart, an attorney from Arcadia, gave a list of things
that needed to change in the DA’s office, including implementing a uniform
system in all three parishes. That system would include uniform procedures to
move cases through the courtroom, public awareness, education and trained
officers with at least one female to properly investigate the case.
The issue of domestic abuse does not start at the arrest
of the offender. Domestic abuse begins in the home, and Chris Bowman said drugs
remain a huge problem.
“One of the domestic issues is, in fact, the drug
problem,” Bowman said. “Drugs are in home and a lot of domestic abuse emanates
from that. I think it’s a serious problem that has to be addressed.”
One way to address this problem, he said, is to bring
these types of cases to the front burner, and assign one person to deal with
nothing but victim advocate cases. Currently, Donna McCarty serves as the
victim advocate officer for the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office.
DART serves 5 parishes, including the Second Judicial
District – Claiborne, Bienville and Jackson. DART has been in Claiborne Parish
for 6 years, serving nearly 300 victims of domestic abuse.
To report domestic abuse, citizens can call the Claiborne
Parish Sheriff’s Department at 318-927-2011, or McCarty at the Criminal
Investigations Division at 318-927-9800, or call the local DART office at
318-927-2818.
Claiborne Parish to be on TV!
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
Claiborne Parish is going regional! Through the efforts
of the Claiborne Chamber of Commerce, a television campaign began this week to
promote the many things the parish has to offer – beginning with the Fourth of
July Boat Parade and Fireworks Show to be held Saturday, July 5 at Lake Claiborne.
Chamber President Steve Koskie said the television
promotions will target the Fourth of July event to promote Lake Claiborne and the second spot slated to also begin next week will promote Claiborne Parish
tourism as a whole.
“We’re trying to promote retailers and tourism parish
wide, and from I’d seen, no one had ever done any TV promotions,” Koskie said.
“It wasn’t as expensive as we thought it’d be.”
Teaming up with CMA and Suddenlink cable companies, the
TV promotions are expected to air in Homer, Haynesville, Ruston, Springhill,
Cullen, Minden and Sibley – essentially, Claiborne, Webster and Lincoln
parishes, as well as Magnolia, Ark. The ads are expected to run on local
channels including Fox News, ESPN, the Lifetime Network, TNT and TNN.
Footage was shot in several areas of the parish,
including Lake Claiborne State Park, Marinas Parden’s Paradise and Pleasure
Point, Port Au Prince as well as the Claiborne Parish Courthouse. The
commercials use very little “canned” footage, filming actual families at the
state park, boaters in Lake Claiborne and the two marinas.
“We think it’s going to be effective, because with gas so
high, we want people outside the parish to re-think Lake Claiborne,” Koskie
said. “We’re real pleased with the quality of the ad spots and we think it
portrays Claiborne Parish very nicely.”
Claiborne Chamber of Commerce Executive Director John
David Watson agreed.
“We’ve done a lot of work to try to prepare the
groundwork for tourism and it all ties together,” he said. “We just feel
tourism is a prime example of using what you already have and enhancing it. It
ties in perfect with what’s going on all across Louisiana, which is to promote
this area all over the state.”
The two television promotions will also include
advertisement for the newly-released driving tour CD, which gives tourists an
audio “map” and history of the many tourist attractions in Claiborne Parish.
The chamber board is also in discussions with the cable
companies for the second phase of the project, which will promote Christmas and
the many activities associated with it. Using the same market from the Fourth
of July activities, the Christmas promotion will highlight area retailers and
businesses in Homer, Haynesville and the surrounding areas.
The Chamber is expected to allow eight spots in the ad,
with the chamber picking up a significant portion of the cost. These spots will
be available to area retailers for a nominal cost.
They anticipate launching these promotional ads on
Thanksgiving Day and running them through Christmas.
“By doing this, we hope to retain those Christmas dollars
in Claiborne Parish and hopefully bring some dollars in from outside the
parish,” Koskie said. “The whole idea is that we want to help our retailers,
and if we do a good job with this, we think it will lift the spirits of the
people of Claiborne Parish. We’re trying to find unconventional ways of doing
that.”
Watson also said that Lauren Tichenor, who came to
Claiborne Parish for one year as an Americorps Vista worker, played an integral
part in getting tourism promotion as a whole off the ground. She gave the push
people needed to get it going, he said, and without her hard work and
dedication, the parish may not be where it is today.
“We are forever indebted to her and all the volunteers
that worked on these projects,” Watson said.
Once the ads begin running, the chamber wants feedback
from the citizens of the parish. To do that, call the Claiborne Chamber of
Commerce at 318-927-3271, or go to the parish’s website at www.claiborneone.org
and post comments. Also, a place for feedback and comments is on the tourism
website at www.claiborneparishtourism.org.
Also, watch for upcoming tourism releases including the
publication of a pictoral history of Claiborne Parish.
“We encourage all the readers to have a positive outlook
on their parish and speak positive things about it,” Watson concluded.
Chamber pig roast, auction a success
The Claiborne Chamber of Commerce’s annual
pig roast and cake auction was a huge success. During the auction, one cake
sold for $235. The annual event is a fundraiser to help raise money for the
Chamber.
Fireworks, boat parade set for July 5
Our Fourth of July Celebration- Boat Show and Fireworks-will
be on Saturday, July 5. Boats leave Pleasure Point at 7:30 p.m. and the
fireworks will be shot from Lake Claiborne Dam at dark or about 9:00 p.m.
Remember! The shows are on Saturday, July 5.
Most of the fireworks are paid for in advance. We are
hoping for donations soon in order to make our first payment in timely
fashion.
This community celebration will be the same great
experience it has been yearly. Fun! Patriotic! A great time to be with friends!
Come. Feel Good and Feel American. Join with us for American Independence Day
2008. Remember - Saturday, July 5.
Send contributions to: Claiborne Fireworks Inc., P. O. Box 181, Homer, LA 71040.
Comments? Questions? Boat Show, Dick Dorrell, Homer
Loans, 318-927-0039. Fireworks, Fred Lewis, 318-927-9180.
Relay donations total over $59,000
The Guardian-Journal
The almost final totals are in. So far, donations to the
annual Relay for Life have topped $59,000 -- $59,201.13 to be exact.
Nancy Mason, event chairman, said the goal was set at
$50,000.
“Thanks to the generosity of Claiborne Parish and others,
we surpassed our goal,” she said.
There’s also a challenge in this as well. Donation lines
are open through August to strive for a goal of $60,000. The reason? Area
American Cancer Society Representative Christina Griffin has agreed to dye her
hair purple if the Claiborne Relay reaches $60,000 in donations.
So, anyone who would like to donate that hasn’t, please
send donations to Nancy Mason, 309 Beardsley Avenue, Homer, LA 71040.
All contributions are tax deductible.
The Guardian-Journal was asked to publish the names of
all the cancer survivors who walked the survivor lap at this year’s relay.
They are as follows:
Gerald Allen; Jenny Alspaugh; Mary Anglin; David Avery;
Glenda Bailey; Laura Bailey; Marvin Bailey; Richard Bennett; Yvonne Bennett;
Gay Brunson; Elbie Dickens; Linda Chandler; Rollin Cochran; Gracie English;
Janice Franklin; Pat Gaston; Diane Hankins; Cynthia Haynes; Donald Haynes;
Ronald Haynes; Gregory Hightower; Kay Holmes; Mary Ann Josting; Mary Ellen
Lewis; Larry Knox; Linda Knox; Norma Murphy; James Pepper; Wayne Perry; Kevin
Reeder; Louise Tinsley; Linda Wafer; Marinda White; Beverly Volentine and J.C.
Rogers.
Congratulations to all the survivors!
This Film by Michael Haynes Productions was created in conjunction with 
