Police and fire briefs for June 15, 2012
Police seek identity of debit card thief
Police have asked for the public’s help in identifying a suspected thief, a police spokesman said.
At about 11:15 a.m. April 24, a woman signed into the office of Twin Oaks Elementary School, 819 Trammell Drive, using a fake name, Lt. Don Kelly said.
The woman walked down the hallway, found a purse in an unoccupied classroom, and is believed to have taken a debit card from the purse, which she used to make several purchases locally, Kelly said.
Anyone with information on the identity of this suspect can contact the Financial Crimes Division at (225) 389-3871 or Crime Stoppers at (225) 344-7867.
Car hits log truck; man critically hurt
A Jackson man was critically injured Thursday morning when he crashed his car into the back of a log truck; he was not wearing a seat belt, according to the State Police.
Barney Smith, 59, was seriously injured and had to be extracted from his car by first responders and volunteer firefighters, Trooper Russell G. Graham II said in a news release.
The preliminary investigation revealed Richard Hayes, 35 of Mount Olive, Miss., was driving a 1991 Peterbuilt log truck west on La. 64 when he slowed for the red light at U.S. 61, troopers said.
As the truck slowed, it was hit from behind by a 1998 Honda Accord driven by Smith, Graham said.
All required lighting and flags were properly displayed on the rear of the truck’s trailer, Graham said.
Smith sustained life-threatening injuries in the crash and was transported to Our Lady of the Lake Medical Center.
Troopers suspect Smith was impaired at the time of the crash and have submitted samples of his blood and urine to the State Police Crime Lab for chemical analysis, Graham said.
Hayes was not impaired and not injured, he said.
Authorities book 3 on suspicion of DWI
Authorities arrested at least three people suspected of driving while intoxicated in East Baton Rouge Parish and booked them into Parish Prison between 2:30 p.m. Wednesday and 2:30 p.m. Thursday, booking records show.
Those booked and the counts against them:
- Scott Fatland, 21, 5711 MacArthur Blvd., New Orleans, second-offense DWI and improper lane usage.
- Terri Lewis, 25, 1331 N. Sherwood Forest Blvd., first-offense DWI, driver’s license suspended and speeding.
- Todd Urbano, 21, 124 Clara Drive, second-offense DWI and failure to signal.
Compiled from staff reports. To talk to a crime reporter at The Advocate, call (225) 388-0369.