Police seek 3 in drive-by shooting
The Guardian-Journal
Three
individuals are still being sought in connection with a drive-by shooting in
Homer that left one injured.
Still
being sought are:
•
Lydell Tell, 23, of Haynesville. Warrants for his arrest have been issued by
the Homer Police Department on charges of conspiracy to commit the offense of
aggravated second degree battery and conspiracy to commit illegal use of a
weapon or dangerous instrumentalities.
•
Demontre D. Robinson, 24, of Haynesville. A warrant for his arrest has been
issued by the Homer Police Department on conspiracy to commit aggravated second
degree battery.
•
Dedarian K. Robinson, 23, of Haynesville. A warrant for his arrest has been issued
by the Homer Police Department on charges of aggravated second degree battery.
According
to Captain Donald Malray, of the Homer Police Department, these individuals are
three of seven individuals who were involved in a drive-by shooting in which a
bullet struck Jamarcion Hardwell in the lower leg area. Around 7 p.m. on May
16, Malray said the incident occurred on South 3rd Street in which, he said,
witnesses say an altercation took place in the 900 block of Hudd Drive between
a group of Homer boys and a group of Haynesville boys. During the initial
investigation, it was reported that the group of teens from Haynesville left
and came back to Homer where they drove down West 3rd Street ending on South
3rd Street where Hardwell was shot.
Three
arrests in the case have been made so far. Arrested were Dre’Deshun Logan, 18,
of Haynesville, charged with conspiracy to commit aggravated second degree
battery and conspiracy to commit illegal use of dangerous weapons or
instrumentalities. Kaylan Jackson, 17, also of Haynesville, was charged with
aggravated second degree battery and illegal use of dangerous weapons or
instrumentalities. Also arrested was Demartez Jackson, 20, on the charge of
conspiracy to commit aggravated second degree battery, with bond set at $30,000,
Orlansarde Hunter, 24, and Richard Jones Jr., 21, all on the same charge of
conspiracy to commit aggravated second degree battery.
If
anyone has any information on the whereabouts of these three individuals,
please call the Homer Police Department at 318-927-4000.
2011 Lake Claiborne Boat Parade and
Fireworks Show
Show to go on despite dry conditions
The Guardian-Journal
The
2011 Lake Claiborne Boat Parade and Fireworks Show is this weekend (Sunday,
July 3), and it’s sure to be full of fun for the whole family. However,
officials want patrons to do so safely.
Even
though the fireworks show will go on as planned, weather conditions are still
ripe for fires. And while there is no ban on fireworks used by the general
public, Homer Fire Chief Dennis Butcher is asking that all citizens use every
precaution necessary to keep themselves safe and others around them.
“Enjoy
the Fourth of July fireworks, but please use extreme caution,” Butcher said.
“Conditions are still extremely dry at this time, and weather forecasts don’t
predict any rain any time soon. A little common sense and a little preparation
will go a long way.”
He
offered the following tips:
• Never
allow children to shoot fireworks without adult supervision.
•
Always have a garden hose and a bucket of water handy to douse any smoldering
fireworks after they’ve been shot. Shoot them in an area where you have access
to water.
• Never
hold lit fireworks in your hand.
• Never
throw used fireworks into a brush pile.
• Watch
the area. Do not shoot fireworks and then leave the area unattended. Please
remain in the area for at least 30 minutes after shooting to make sure they are
all extinguished.
• It is
suggested not to use aerial fireworks, such as bottle rockets, however, if they
are used, please use extreme caution.
According
to weather forecasters, there is little to no rain expected for the next couple
of weeks. Extremely dry conditions have caused an increase in grass and woods
fires throughout the parish. As mentioned, officials are urging residents to
use extreme caution at this time.
The
entire State of Louisiana is currently under a burn ban, which means any
outdoor burning is not allowed.
Even
though temperatures are expected to hover near 100 degrees or above in the
afternoon, the boat parade will start at a time when the day will start cooling
off. At around 7 p.m., the boat parade will start at Pleasure Point Marina and
make the usual path around Lake Claiborne as it has in the past. As revelers
count their beads and children eat their candy, they can sit back and relax
until the start of the fireworks show, which is set to begin around 9 p.m.
Throughout
the day and during the boat parade and fireworks show, the Claiborne Parish
Sheriff’s Office as well as Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Law Enforcement
Agents will be out on the water to ensure the safety of everyone.
Sheriff
Ken Bailey is also asking those along the parade route to be cautious as the
boats come around their docks. He is asking that no one be in the water at the
time of the boat parade to prevent any accidents or injuries during the parade
-- and above all be safe and have a great time!
The
annual event is sponsored by Fireworks for Lake Claiborne Inc., the donations
of others each year to put on a spectacular show. Any donations received are
tax deductible, and for those who wish to make a donation, please mail to
Fireworks for Lake Claiborne, Inc., P.O. Box 181, Homer, LA, 71040.
Bays murder suspect released on
recognizance
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
One
suspect charged with the murder of Brian G. “Butch” Bays was released on
recognizance last Wednesday afternoon.
Hardy
Taylor, 19, was released from the Claiborne Parish Detention Center with strict
special conditions, Sheriff Ken Bailey said. He was released because of a
special medical condition which requires injections twice per week in order for
him to live. According to records, those injections were costing the Claiborne
Parish Police Jury right at $90,000 per month, which adds up to roughly $1.08
million per year.
Bays
was shot and killed on Thursday, December 16, 2010, at his country store in
Summerfield, which left the small community in shock and greatly saddened.
Taylor
and 19-year-old Donte Fielding are both charged with his murder.
Taylor
received state assistance with his medical care which was stopped once he was
incarcerated at the detention center. The police jury then took over the costs
of his medical care.
Bailey
said the only thing Taylor is allowed to do outside of his home is to go to his
doctor’s appointments and receive his injections. He will be escorted to and
from by armed guard each time. The only person allowed to visit him at his home
is his attorney.
“We
also have the right to enter his home without a warrant to make sure that he’s
there, and if he’s not, his parents could be criminally charged,” Bailey said.
“He will be wearing an ankle bracelet which will be monitored 24 hours a day,
seven days a week by our office.”
According
to police jury records, in 2010, the police jury paid out approximately $24,000
just for medicines for the male prisoners. In 2009, it was just under $15,000.
The year 2008 was about the same. Half way into the year 2011 (just for the
last five weeks), the police jury has already paid out roughly $125,000.
Records show that $120,000 of that was related directly to one prisoner.
According
to their budget for this fiscal year, they had budgeted $20,000 just for
medicines.
The
budget will have to be amended, which means the money to cover the costs of
these medicines will have to come from the police jury’s reserves.
The
police jury issued a statement extending its thanks to the sheriff’s office,
the district attorney’s office, Judge Jenifer Clason, Sen. Mike Walsworth’s
office, Sen. Robert Adley’s office and Rep. Rick Gallot’s office for their
efforts in helping to resolve a very difficult matter.
Jack
Bays, Butch’s brother, said he wasn’t really angry about Taylor’s release
because officials told him and his family that Taylor’s release could be coming
because of the enormous cost to the police jury.
“I
understand why they did it, so as long as he’s wearing a bracelet or a
monitoring device, it’s okay with me,” Bays said. “I feel like he’s going to
eventually suffer for what he did. I’m sure [these restrictions] aren’t going
to be a picnic.”
And
while this difficult development has come to pass, Bays says he still thinks
about Butch and what happened.
“I
still miss Butch,” he said.
Assistant
District Attorney Danny Newell, who is handling the prosecution of the case,
was not available for comment as he was out of town as of press time.
Fielding
is still incarcerated at the detention center at this time. As of press time,
there was no word as to when trial dates have been set for the two.
LDWF cracking down on DWIs
A
Bernice man was arrested on Corney Lake in Claiborne Parish for DWI charges
while racking up a host of others.
On
Friday, June 24, Eric Bates Jr., 22, was arrested for DWI by the Louisiana
Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Law Enforcement Agents (LDWF). Bond on
that charge was set at $750. Other charges included littering prohibited with a
bond of $500, simple possession of Schedule I CDS (marijuana), with bond set at
$500, possession of drug paraphernalia with bond set at $500, and possession
with intent to distribute Schedule I CDS (marijuana) with bond set at $15,000.
Others
arrested by LDWF include Crystal Hurst, 36, of Dubach, for issuing worthless
checks. Bond was set at $500. She was arrested on Monday, June 20.
Walter
W. Selmon, 27, of El Dorado, Ark., was arrested by LDWF agents on Saturday,
June 25 on the following charges: failure to comply with required class A
tiller outboard with bond set at $500, improper running lights with bond set at
$500, possession of drug paraphernalia with bond set at $500, angling without
license, non-resident with bond set at $500, open container with bond set at
$500, simple possession of schedule I CDS (marijuana) with bond set at $500,
possession with intent to distribute schedule I CDS (marijuana) with bond set
at $15,000 and operating a watercraft with a suspended license with bond set at
$500.
In
support of Operation Dry Water, LDWF agents arrested 10 boaters statewide for
driving or operating a vessel while intoxicated (DWI).
“We
take DWI enforcement on the water very serious since the leading cause of
boating fatalities is alcohol,” said Lt. Col. Jeff Mayne, the state’s boating
law administrator. “We want everybody on the water to have a good time, but to
keep in mind that they need a designated driver just like on land.”
Alcohol
can impair a boater’s judgment, balance, vision and reaction time. It can
increase fatigue and susceptibility to the effects of cold-water immersion.
Sun, wind, noise, vibration and motion intensify the side effects of alcohol,
drugs and some prescription medications.
Louisiana
has had 32 fatalities from boating crash incidents in 2009. Alcohol was again
the leading primary cause of those boating fatal incidents leading to 24
percent of the fatalities. Nationwide, statistics from 2009 reveal that 16
percent of all boat incident fatalities were a direct result of alcohol or drug
use.
LDWF
issued 216 DWI citations to boat operators in 2009. Anyone cited for a DWI on
the water or on the road will lose his or her driver’s license and boating
privileges for the specified time ordered by the judge in the case. Also, each
offense of operating a vehicle or vessel while intoxicated counts toward the
total number of DWI crimes whether they happened on the water or road.
In
Louisiana, a DWI on the water carries the same penalties and fines as on the
road and includes jail time, fines and loss of driving and boating operator
privileges.
In
Louisiana, a DWI can be issued to anyone operating a moving vessel or vehicle
with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher. First offense DWI carries
a $300 to $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail. Second offense DWI brings a
$750 to $1,000 fine and between 30 days and six months in jail. Third offense
DWI carries a fine of $5,000 and between one and five years in jail.
Operation
Dry Water was started in 2009 and is a joint program involving LDWF, the
National Association of State Boating Law Administration (NASBLA) and the U.S.
Coast Guard. More information is available at www.operationdrywater.org.
Homer man arrested in Minden
A
traffic stop by a Troop G State Trooper turned into a drug bust for Minden
Police late last week.
Landon
Lord, 18, of the 1800 block of Harmon Loop in Homer was arrested with
possession of CDS Schedule I (marijuana) with intent to distribute, possession
of Schedule IV (Xanax) with intent to distribute, contributing to the
delinquency of a juvenile (felony) and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Minden
Police Chief Steve Cropper said the trooper had stopped Lord’s vehicle at the
intersection of Highways 79 and 531, although there was no clear indication on
reports as to whether a traffic citation was issued.
“The
trooper asked for assistance, and Officers Ryan Barnette and Chris Hammontree
went to the location,” Cropper said. “Once they got there, the trooper informed
them there was a juvenile in the vehicle who was indicating there were illegal
narcotics on board.”
Barnette
reportedly removed Lord -- the driver -- from the vehicle and asked him if
there was anything illegal in the vehicle.
“They
ended up searching the vehicle, and inside they found approximately five small
bags of marijuana, a grinding/cutting tool and a plastic bag containing Xanax
bars,” Cropper said.
Officers
reportedly talked to the juvenile who said he had been with Lord when he
purchased the narcotics somewhere in Texas.
“Lord
admitted he had purchased the narcotics and brought them back over here to try
and sell them,” Cropper said. “There was a strong odor of marijuana in the
vehicle, and the driver indicated he had been smoking it, but they had not used
any of the Xanax.”
The
chief said the juvenile was not charged and was released into the custody of a
guardian.
This
story was reprinted with permission from the Minden Press-Herald.