Police and fire briefs for June 29, 2012

Authorities seeking man in bank robbery

Deputies are searching for a man who robbed a Whitney Bank branch on Jefferson Highway at 2 p.m. Thursday, East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Casey Rayborn Hicks said.

A man entered the bank at 7980 Jefferson Hwy. and handed the teller a note demanding money, Hicks said.

The robber ran out of the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash, some of which he dropped in a nearby parking lot, Hicks said.

The man is black, 5 feet 10 inches and has a medium build, Hicks said. He has a small amount of facial hair and was wearing a hard hat, a white shirt, blue jeans and a yellow/lime green reflector vest.

The robber also might be stained in orange dye from the bag of money he took from the bank, Hicks said.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office at [phone] or Crime Stoppers at [phone].

Police arrest man, 21,
in shooting death

Police arrested a 21-year-old man Thursday in the slaying of Telly Heard, a spokesman said.

Jonathan West, 2750 Alaska St., is accused of fatally shooting Heard, 21, after the two had an argument just after noon June 5 under Interstate 10 on South 10th Street near Myrtle Avenue, Cpl. L’Jean McKneely said.

West was booked into Parish Prison on a count of second-degree murder.

Authorities book four on DWI suspicion

Authorities arrested at least four 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:

• Tasuha Powell, 32, 1466 Harco Drive, first-offense DWI.
• Stephen Buratt, 24, 12133 Oakland Acres, St. Amant, first-offense DWI and possession of Schedule II drugs.
• Mariah Janik, 23, 2431 Stonewood Drive, first-offense DWI, improper lane usage and reckless operation of a vehicle.
• Matthew Weisberger, 18, 1515 Potomac Drive, Houston, first-offense DWI and improper lane usage.

Compiled from staff reports. To talk to a crime reporter at The Advocate, call [phone].