Police and Fire Briefs for July 29, 2012
Police book man, 22,
in firing gun into car
Police arrested a 22-year-old man Saturday accused of driving up next to a car carrying three people he did not know and firing multiple shots into the car on Wednesday, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
The affidavit says Evan Taylor Underwood approached one of the three victims who was pumping gas Wednesday at a gas station on North Lobdell Boulevard and asked the victim for money. The victim said they didn’t have any money and asked Underwood to please walk away from their car.
As Underwood turned to walk away, the victims noticed a pistol in Underwood’s rear pocket, the affidavit says.
The victims pulled out of the gas station and were driving down North Lobdell when Underwood, driving a white van, pulled up behind them “at a rapid rate of speed,” the affidavit says. Underwood then pulled alongside the victims’ car and started firing shots into their car, hitting the driver in the left wrist, which caused “considerable damage,” the affidavit says.
Detectives sent out a photo of Underwood’s white van to Police Department personnel. Around 2:30 a.m. Saturday, an officer saw Underwood’s van and pulled him over on other counts.
Underwood, 9530 Molleylea Drive, was booked into Parish Prison on three counts of attempted first-degree murder, illegal discharge of a firearm, aggravated criminal damage to property, drinking in a motor vehicle and possession with intent to distribute a Schedule I drug.
Man arrested in aid
to shooting suspect
Police arrested a 45-year-old man accused of driving his friend to a location where the friend shot a man twice and then driving the friend away from the scene, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
The affidavit says Todd Wayne Glaspie drove his friend in a Ford Explorer to a residence in the 8200 block of Airline Highway about 1:20 a.m. July 21.
According to the affidavit, Glaspie’s friend said the victim’s girlfriend owed him money. Glaspie’s friend then shot the victim in the abdomen and the upper right thigh, the affidavit says.
Afterward, Glaspie drove his friend away from the scene and “did not try to stay and give aid to the victim, nor did he try and call police for assistance,” the affidavit says.
Glaspie, 41191 Remington Drive, Sorrento, was booked into Parish Prison on counts of principal to attempted second-degree murder.
Firefighters return
after house reignites
A fire that destroyed a residence on Friday rekindled early Saturday, requiring firefighters to return to battle an extensive blaze, a Fire Department spokesman said in a news release.
The fire at 222 W. Woodgate Court started again at 3:30 a.m. Saturday in an elevated part of the house, Barry Mounce said.
Firefighters used ladder trucks to attack the new flames because of structural damage to the house from the earlier fire.
Lightning sparked the original blaze Friday afternoon, Mounce’s release says.
The fire caused an estimated $750,000 in damage, rendering the house a total loss.
Investigators suspect
arson at vacant house
The Fire Department suspects a fire was deliberately set early Saturday in a vacant house on Wenonah Street, a department spokesman said.
The fire reported at 2720 Wenonah St. about 4:15 a.m. Saturday caused an estimated $15,000 in damage, Barry Mounce said in the news release.
The blaze started in the front of the unsecured house, and was kept to the room where the fire started, the release says.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Baton Rouge Fire Department Fire Investigations Division at (225) 354-1419.
Authorities book 4
on suspicion of DWI
Authorities arrested at least four people suspected of driving while intoxicated in East Baton Rouge Parish — including a 25-year-old woman on a fifth-offense DWI — and booked them into Parish Prison between 2:30 p.m. Friday and 2:30 p.m. Saturday, booking records show.
Those booked and the counts against them:
- Brittney Comeaux, 23, 11093 Henson Drive, Greenwell Springs, first-offense DWI, speeding and registration required.
- Toni Mancuso, 25, 12322 Archery Drive, fifth-offense DWI, driver’s license suspended or revoked, reckless driving and improper lane usage.
- Paul Parker, 37, 1194 Green Mesa, Houston, first-offense DWI and improper lane usage.
- Cindy Vasquez, 24, 37064 Rivergate Ave., Geismar, second-offense DWI, following too closely and reckless driving.
Compiled from staff reports. To talk to a crime reporter at The Advocate, call (225) 388-0369.