Police and Fire Briefs for Sept. 29, 2012

Suspect in BR slaying arrested by marshals

A man wanted in the Sept. 5 shooting death of David Atkins on Appleton Avenue in Baton Rouge was arrested Thursday in Harris County, Texas, a Baton Rouge police spokesman said Friday.

Members of the U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force arrested Jermaine Redmon Williams, 32, 2742 Appleton Ave., and will extradite him to East Baton Rouge Parish where he will be booked into Parish Prison on a count of second-degree murder, police spokesman Cpl. L’Jean McKneely said.

Williams is accused of shooting and killing Atkins, 27, 11908 Kingston Ave., on Appleton near Gore Road, police said.

Atkins was walking with another man in front of 2731 Appleton Ave. near Hallmark Drive at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 5 when a vehicle drove up, police said.

Atkins, who was riding in the vehicle, pointed a gun out of the car and shot at the men, striking and killing Atkins, police said. The other man walking with Atkins was not harmed.

About 24 hours after the shooting, Anthony Wiggins, 29, 12346 Palmyra Drive, and another person, who was not identified, asked an acquaintance of theirs to contact police so they could surrender themselves, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

Wiggins told police he drove the car but he did not know Williams was going to shoot at Atkins and the other man, the affidavit says. Police arrested Wiggins and booked him into Parish Prison on a count of principal to second-degree murder.

10 drivers booked
on EBR DWI counts

Authorities arrested at least 10 people suspected of driving while intoxicated in East Baton Rouge Parish and booked them into Parish Prison between 2:30 p.m. Thursday and 2:30 p.m. Friday, booking records show.

Those booked and the counts against them:

• Mackie Luna, 34, 12512 Gawain Ave., Baton Rouge, first-offense DWI.
• Scott LeBlanc, 49, 44333 La. 431, St. Amant, first-offense DWI.
• Roy Gernon, 30, 252 Ponderosa Drive, Baton Rouge, first-offense DWI.
• Fredrick Alexander, 28, 5617 Prescott Road, Baton Rouge, first-offense DWI, driver’s license not in possession, insurance required and reckless operation of a vehicle.
• Justin Thomas, 28, 2290 Monterrey Blvd., Baton Rouge, first-offense DWI, disobeying a red light, careless driving and driver’s license suspended/revoked.
• Jose Rodriguez, 39, 1220 Marque Ann, Baton Rouge, second-offense DWI, speeding, driving too slow, improper lane usage, driver’s license required.
• Michele Ranel, 44, 1014 Michigan Ave., Port Allen, first-offense DWI, possession of alcoholic beverage in the vehicle, reckless operation of a vehicle, overtaking and passing school buses, proof of insurance required, possession of firearm with drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia, registration required in the vehicle, disobeying a police officer, possession of Schedule II drugs and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
• Randall Kell, 34, 10034 Park Ridge Ave, Denham Springs, first-offense DWI, disobeying traffic control device, reckless operation of a vehicle and failure to maintain control.
• Rebecca Daigle, 25, 3237 Carol Jack Drive, Baton Rouge, first-offense DWI.
• Lacey Berthelot, 32, 27302 Heritage, Springfield, first-offense DWI.

Compiled from staff reports. To talk to a crime reporter at The Advocate, call (225) 388-0369.