Police and Fire Briefs for Oct. 18, 2012
October 19, 2012
2 escape duplex fire near LSU campus
Two college-age people escaped unharmed from a residential fire Tuesday night on Jennifer Jean Drive near LSU, a Baton Rouge Fire Department spokesman said.
Firefighters arrived at a duplex at 343 Jennifer Jean Drive at 10:44 p.m. and found flames in the kitchen, Barry Mounce said in a news release.
The fire gutted the kitchen and caused extensive smoke damage to the unit, Mounce said. The second unit in the duplex suffered smoke damage as well, he said.
The two occupants escaped unharmed, Mounce said.
Investigators believe an unattended pot on a stove caused the fire, Mounce said.
Driver sought after hit-and-run of biker
Police are looking for the driver of a Volvo who hit and critically injured a bicyclist after driving through a stop sign at Convention and North 19th Streets on Tuesday evening, a Baton Rouge police spokesman said.
The driver, described as a white man, fled the scene of the accident, which happened at 6:15 p.m. in the 1900 block of Convention, Cpl. L’Jean McKneely said. He was driving a silver 1990-1991 Volvo 740.
The 26-year-old bicyclist was taken to a local hospital where he is in critical condition, McKneely said.
Anyone with information about the incident can contact police at (225) 389-7819.
3 arrested in sting targeting prostitution
Three men were arrested Tuesday during an undercover operation targeting prostitution and lewd behavior in Baton Rouge parks, court records show.
Members of the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office Special Community Anti-Crime Team conducted the operation at Manchac Park, 19010 Jefferson Highway, as well as the Scenic Highway area, affidavits of probable causes say.
Two men were arrested at 1:30 p.m. after trying to solicit sex from an undercover deputy at Manchac Park, the affidavits say.
Darrayl Jack, 30, 2744 74th Ave., Baton Rouge; James Clifton Holifield, 65, 5407 Heidi Place, Baton Rouge; and Ira P. Babin, 58, 6 Rue Sorbonne, Baton Rouge, were each booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on one count of attempted crimes against nature.
Another man, who was dressed as a woman at the time, was arrested just after 6:30 p.m. after trying to solicit sex from an undercover deputy at Scenic Highway and Seneca Street, the documents say.
Man, 30, accused of shooting girlfriend
A man accused of shooting and wounding his girlfriend during an argument Sunday on Annette Street was arrested Wednesday and booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison.
Roderick Keith Wells, 30, allegedly shot the woman at about 3:20 a.m. in the 5000 block of Annette Street near the intersection of Evangeline Street and McClelland Drive, Baton Rouge police have said.
The woman was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries but is now in stable condition and is expected to survive, police have said.
Wells, 5345 Annette St., was booked into Parish Prison on a count of attempted second-degree murder.
Kitchen fire damages Starwood duplex
An accidental kitchen fire damaged a duplex Wednesday afternoon on Starwood Court, a St. George Fire Protection District spokesman said.
Firefighters arrived at 8125 Starwood at 1:28 p.m., Eldon Ledoux said in a news release.
Fire damage was limited to the kitchen, but smoke damaged the rest of the unit, Ledoux said.
The fire was under control at 1:45 p.m., Ledoux said.
No one was injured, Ledoux said.
Police seeking armed robber of food store
Baton Rouge police are trying to identify a man accused of holding up a store Friday on South Acadian Thruway, a police spokesman said.
The man walked into Hit and Run Food Store on 2313 S. Acadian Thruway around 6:40 p.m. armed with a handgun and demanding money, Cpl. Tommy Stubbs said in a news release.
The man took an unidentified amount of money from the store and ran away, Stubbs said.
The suspect was seen in surveillance video wearing an orange vest, a dark short-sleeved shirt and dark shorts.
Anyone with information on this robbery is asked to contact police at (225) 389-3845 or Crime Stoppers at (225) 344-7867.
40 pounds of fake pot seized from grocer
Baton Rouge police raided an East Boulevard grocery store Tuesday night and seized about 40 pounds of synthetic marijuana, a police spokesman said.
Police’s Baton Rouge Area Violence Elimination team, along with narcotics detectives, the Special Weapons and Tactics team and the Louisiana Alcohol and Tobacco Control office, searched East Boulevard Grocery at 1440 East Blvd. and found the synthetic marijuana, along with more than $21,000 in cash, police spokesman Cpl. Tommy Stubbs said in a news release.
The owner of the business, Bernard Oti, 55, 4342 E. Dayton Court, was arrested and booked into Parish Prison on one count each of possession with intent to distribute synthetic marijuana and distribution of synthetic marijuana.
Investigators also searched Oti’s home and found about 100 more pounds of synthetic marijuana, Stubbs said.
Man accused of child porn possession
A 56-year-old man was arrested Wednesday and accused of possessing pornography involving juveniles, an affidavit of probable cause says.
Authorities allegedly found computer hard drives containing pornography involving juveniles at James Leslie Lyon’s home at 17023 Sharpsburg Ave., the affidavit says. The investigation into the hard drives began after Lyon was arrested in June and accused of raping a 4-year-old girl, the affidavit says.
Lyon had been released on bond prior to his Wednesday arrest, after which he was booked into Parish Prison on a count of pornography involving a juvenile.
4 arrested on counts of intoxicated driving
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. Tuesday and 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, booking records show.
Those booked and the counts against them:
- Chelsea Comeaux, 23, 446 Highland Creek Park, Baton Rouge, second-offense DWI and reckless operation of a vehicle.
- Shelby Garvey, 19, 2220 Terrace Ave., Baton Rouge, first-offense DWI and equipment violation.
- Erik Glover, 22, 7878 LaSalle Ave., Baton Rouge, second-offense DWI, headlights required, operating a vehicle while under suspension for a prior offense and required tail lamps.
- Steven Gulledge, 18, 329 Woodbine Drive, Shreveport, first-offense DWI, reckless operation of a vehicle and improper lane usage.
Compiled from staff reports. To talk to a crime reporter at The Advocate, call (225) 388-0369.