Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre is asking for the public’s help in solving a burglary that occurred at a golf cart dealership in Cut Off.
On the morning of Saturday, September 21, 2019, deputies responded to the dealership located on LA Highway 3235 in Cut Off. They found large sections of fencing had been cut and pulled away, and there was evidence that gate hinges had been tampered with. The business office appeared to be in disarray and cash was stolen from the office. It is believed the burglary occurred overnight on Friday, September 20 or during the early morning hours on Saturday.
Anyone with any knowledge of this crime is asked to submit a tip anonymously through Crime Stoppers Bayou Region by phone at 1-800-743-7433 or online at www.crimestoppersbr.org. Tips can also be submitted using the P3 Tips app on your mobile device. Tipsters could be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 in cash if the information leads to an arrest.
Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced detectives are investigating an incident in Mathews in which an elderly man suffered critical injuries.
Just after 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, September 24, a concerned citizen called 911 after finding an unresponsive elderly man lying on the side of the road in the 100 block of Johnny Dufrene Drive in Mathews. The man had what appeared to be severe lacerations to his head. A deputy arrived and found a concerned citizen administering CPR to the man. The deputy took over administering CPR until EMTs arrived. EMTs established a pulse and rushed the man to a local hospital. He was later airlifted to University Medical Center in New Orleans where he remains in critical condition.
The investigation into this incident is ongoing. It is not yet clear how the man sustained the injuries, but investigators have not ruled out a possible hit-and-run crash.
Anyone with any knowledge of this incident is asked to submit a tip anonymously through Crime Stoppers Bayou Region by phone at 1-800-743-7433 or online at www.crimestoppersbr.org. Tips can also be submitted using the P3 Tips app on your mobile device. Tipsters could be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 in cash if the information leads to an arrest.
Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced a Lockport man was arrested for his fifth DWI offense after crashing his vehicle into a ditch over the weekend. William Meissner, 59, of Lockport was arrested early Sunday morning.
At around 12:05 a.m. on Sunday morning, patrol deputies discovered an SUV which had left the roadway and crashed into a ditch just off LA Highway 1 in Mathews. They made contact with the driver and identified him as William Meissner. Deputies immediately detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath, and he was exhibiting signs of intoxication. There was also an open can of beer in the center console cup holder.
Deputies conducted a field sobriety test on which Meissner performed poorly. He refused to submit to a breathalyzer test, but deputies obtained a warrant to have his blood tested. The results are pending at the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab.
Deputies discovered Meissner had multiple prior DWI arrests and was most recently convicted of his fourth offense in St. Tammany Parish in 2014. He was arrested and booked into the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex in Thibodaux. He was charged with DWI (4th and Subsequent Offenses), Possession of an Alcoholic Beverage in a Motor Vehicle, and Careless Operation. Bail is set at $75,250.
Sheriff Webre reminds motorists that Lafourche Parish is a “No Refusal” parish, meaning if a suspected drunk driver refuses a breathalyzer test, deputies will seek a search warrant to have that person’s blood tested as they did in this investigation.
Captain Jessica Bordelon is pictured with her family and Sheriff Webre. She is the 2019 recipient of the Sheriff’s Star.
Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre honored law enforcement officers and local heroes at the 2019 Lafourche Pride Awards held on Saturday, September 21 at the Wellness Center at Thibodaux Regional Medical Center. More than 65 Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office employees and citizens were honored for feats of bravery, exceptional work, and dedication to public service during the 26th annual awards program. The event is sponsored and organized by the Lafourche Deputies Association.
Captain Jessica Bordelon was awarded the Sheriff’s Star, which is considered one of the highest honors at the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office. Captain Bordelon was recognized primarily for her outstanding work as coordinator of the Transition Team for the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex. She was part of the project from the identification of a funding source, through planning and construction, and the transition from the old jail into the new Correctional Complex. Her efforts largely aided in the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex becoming a model for corrections and criminal justice reforms in the state of Louisiana. Captain Bordelon is also the warden at the Transitional Work Program located on U.S. Highway 90 in Raceland.
In addition to Captain Bordelon, Sergeant Karyn Dardar, Deputy Latifa Williams, and Major Marty Dufrene all received Distinguished Service medals for their work on the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex project. Every member of the Transition Team also received commendations. Sergeant Robert Mason, Deputy Lesley Hill, and Correctional Officer Charles Todaro also received Distinguished Service awards.
Deputy Madeline Leboeuf was awarded a Purple Heart medal for an attack by an inmate, and three correctional officers – Anthony Borne, Erica Chiasson, and Mark Barrett – were honored with lifesaving awards for intervening in the attack. Gia Gervais, a 38-year-old woman with Down Syndrome, was also honored with a Lifesaving medal for contacting emergency services in April 2019 when her mother, Ruby, was having a heart attack. Gia was able to convey important information to dispatchers at her mother’s most desperate time of need. Others receiving Lifesaving awards included Lt. Brett Exnicious, Deputy Harry Guillot, former Chaplain Jim Duck, and William Simmons, a Nicholls State University student.
The LPSO Narcotics Section and DEA Task Force Group 3 received a unit commendation for their efforts in an international narcotics investigation which has led to more than 40 arrests in Lafourche Parish and the seizure of 90 pounds of methamphetamine, five kilograms of cocaine, as well as other drugs, over a dozen guns, and more than a quarter of a million dollars. Additionally, several investigators were honored as part of the unit into the investigation of a double homicide in Larose which led to multiple convictions. The Transitional Work Program and the Criminal Investigations Division also received unit commendations for outstanding work in the past year. Individual employees receiving commendations were Reserve Lieutenant Tim Wisinger, Sergeant Blake Thibodaux, Sergeant Todd Prevost, Sergeant Derek Champagne, Sergeant Marissa Dufrene, Sergeant Keniyelle Frank, Sergeant Lance Leblanc, Deputy Jamaal King, Deputy Steven Pitts, Deputy Justin Benoit, and Deputy Joe Fanguy. Terrebonne 911 and citizens Dakota Gary and Jonathan Bridier also received commendations.
In other awards, Penne Carpenter, who owns several Domino’s Pizza franchises in the area, was honored with a Humanitarian Award for her donations to local law enforcement and unwavering support. Captain Karla Beck was also honored as the Lafourche Deputies Association 2019 Outstanding Member of the Year. Sheriff Webre also recognized the 2019 retirees, including Bobby Gideon who retires this year with 31 years of service. Other retirees included Denise Boudreaux (16 years), Chris Arceneaux (16 years), Mark Bartnesky (12 years), Barry Hebert (11 years), and Rickey Lorensen (10 years).
Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre is asking for the public’s help in locating 13-year-old Emmi Cavalier of Raceland. Cavalier was last seen at Lockport Middle School on Friday, September 20 where she is enrolled. Her mother reported her missing when she did not arrive home on the school bus on Friday afternoon.
Cavalier is described as 5’2” tall, weighing 150 pounds with blonde hair. She was last seen wearing her school uniform (black shirt, khaki shorts), a black Adidas jacket with letters along the arm, and blue sneakers. Investigators believe she may be in the Central Lafourche area or possibly the Houma area in Terrebonne Parish. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office at (985) 532-2808, or simply dial 9-1-1.
Sheriff Craig Webre announced the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office will conduct a seat belt checkpoint in Lafourche Parish during the daytime hours of September 18, 2019. During this checkpoint, deputies will be checking motorists for seat belt and safety seat violations, as well as for proper inspection tags and other potential violations. Checkpoints are designed to help raise awareness for these types of violations and make the highways of the parish safer for all motorists.
Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced the arrest of a Thibodaux man after narcotics agents found a variety of drugs at his home. Terrence Young, 39, of Thibodaux faces multiple drug offenses.
Through an ongoing investigation, narcotics agents obtained a search warrant for Terrence Young’s home located on LA Highway 1 in Thibodaux. On September 11, 2019, agents arrived at Young’s residence to conduct the search. They immediately made contact with Young upon their arrival. During the search, agents located over 65 grams of suspected methamphetamine, over four grams of heroin, and a variety of pills including hydrocodone, oxycodone, and Promethazine (a drug available only by prescription). Additionally, they located a small amount of marijuana, $594 in cash, and various items of drug paraphernalia commonly associated with the illegal sale of narcotics.
Young was arrested and booked into the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex in Thibodaux. He is charged with Possession with the Intent to Distribute Heroin, Hydrocodone, Methamphetamine, and Oxycodone, as well as Possession of Marijuana (3rd and Subsequent Offenses), Possession of a Legend Drug, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Bail is set at $42,500.
Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced a Thibodaux man has been charged with murder in the December 2018 death of a Larose woman. Kyron Bourda, 30, has been charged with Second Degree Murder in the death of 44-year-old Rani Pinel.
On December 22, 2018, Pinel’s family reported her missing. She was last seen on the afternoon of December 17, 2018, and she told her father she had traveled to Texas for a funeral. Through investigation, detectives located Pinel’s father’s truck in a sugar cane field a few hundred feet from Lasseigne Road. Pinel’s body was found inside the truck, and she had suffered severe trauma to her body.
Through investigation, detectives developed Kyron Bourda as a suspect in Pinel’s death. Bourda had been arrested for an unrelated matter a few days after the murder – on December 27, 2018 – and charged with violating parole. He was later transferred to a Louisiana Department of Corrections facility to serve time for the parole violation. On September 12, 2019, Bourda was transferred back to Lafourche Parish where he was booked on the warrant for Second Degree Murder. He is being held without bail.
Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced detectives are investigating an armed robbery which occurred at a Larose business early Wednesday morning.
Just before 6 a.m. on Wednesday, September 11, 2019, deputies responded to a report of an armed robbery at Southern Bait, located at 13928 West Main Street in Larose. Deputies learned an unknown white man wearing a black mask, black t-shirt, and blue jeans had approached an employee holding a pistol. Holding the employee at gunpoint, he stole cash and left the business. Deputies patrolled the nearby area but could not locate any suspects. Detectives responded to collect any possible evidence at the scene.
As this investigation continues, detectives are asking for the public’s help in solving this crime. Anyone with any knowledge of this crime is asked to submit a tip anonymously through Crime Stoppers Bayou Region by phone at 1-800-743-7433 or online at www.crimestoppersbr.org. Tips can also be submitted using the P3 Tips app on your mobile device. Tipsters could be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 in cash if the information leads to an arrest.
Sheriff Craig Webre announced the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office will conduct a DWI checkpoint on September 13, 2019, in Lafourche Parish. The DWI checkpoint will begin on Friday, September 13, and continue into the early morning hours of Saturday, September 14. During the checkpoint, deputies will be looking for drivers who are possibly impaired while checking for other traffic safety issues. These checkpoints are designed to help raise awareness for these types of violations and make the highways of the parish safer for all motorists.
