Baton Rouge news

• Iberville sheriff's office ramping up patrols looking for stolen guns

  21-10-2020 17:23 via wbrz.com
  
  IBERVILLE – Crime moving from the big city to the suburbs has one sheriff fed up.There’s been a rash of gun violence in Iberville Parish where, in less than a month, more than 24 guns have been taken from criminals. Sheriff Brett Stassi said Wednesday, they’re not stopping there.“We’re not talking about a Saturday night special anymore. This type of weaponry is sometimes better than the weaponry that some of the deputies have,” Stassi
  
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• One person shot in Zion City neighborhood

  17-04-2024 20:24 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - One person was hurt in a shooting along Stearns Street on Wednesday night. Emergency officials said the shooting happened near the corner of Stearns and Velie streets in the Zion City neighborhood. One person was taken to a hospital in stable condition. No more information was immediately available. Permalink| Comments
  
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• Driver killed after three-vehicle crash in Houma

  17-04-2024 18:41 via wbrz.com
  
  HOUMA - One person died in a three-vehicle crash in Houma Tuesday night, according to Louisiana State Police.Police say the driver, who remains unidentified pending notification of next of kin, crossed the centerline while traveling north on LA Highway 659 before crossing the centerline, side-swiping one vehicle heading south, and hitting another car head-on.The driver died on the scene, while one other person sustained minor injuries. The driver was unrestrained while driving.Permalink| Commen
  
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• Former Baton Rouge smelter and refinery added to EPA National Priorities List

  17-04-2024 17:30 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - The former site of Exide Baton Rouge, which was demolished in 2014, was added to the EPA's National Priorities list for investigation and cleanup.Exide ceased operations in 2009, and after demolition, high concentrations of antimony, arsenic, lead, manganese and zinc were found in the groundwater and soils on site.  Due to the challenges of the Exide Baton Rouge site, the state of Louisiana referred it to the EPA to avoid any interruption in the continued operati
  
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• Disagreement over housing 17-year-old offenders creates confusion as new law looms

  17-04-2024 17:16 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - A law going into effect Friday has put city-parish officials and the sheriff's office at odds on how to house 17-year-old criminal suspects.City-parish wants the 17-year-olds moved to Parish Prison when state law dictates that they can be. That's Friday. The sheriff's office says federal rules make it impossible to house 17-year-olds in an adult jail without upgrades that city-parish would have to fund.After meetings to discuss next steps, the mayor and the sheriff exchanged lette
  
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• Metro Council honors Zydeco as hockey team prepares to announce plan for 2024-25 season

  17-04-2024 17:15 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE — The Metro Council on Wednesday honored members of the Baton Rouge Zydeco, who in their first season set an attendance record for the Federal Prospects Hockey League. The ceremony came one day before a Zydeco news conference to announce its plan for 2024-25.City-parish government said it didn't know what the team will announce. It already has a lease in place: the city and Zydeco agreed to a three-year deal last April.Metro Councilman Darryl Hurst said the team contribute
  
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• Man convicted of August arson that set ex-girlfriend's car ablaze

  17-04-2024 15:52 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE — Richard Head, a man previously arrested for setting his ex-girlfriend's car ablaze in August, was formally charged Wednesday.Head, 35, was charged with one count of simple arson for the Aug. 12 incident.The Baton Rouge Fire Department arrested Head after he set the car on fire while it was parked in on 72nd Avenue near Plank Road. The owner of the vehicle was Head's ex-girlfriend. During an investigation, it was learned he called her, admitted to lighting the car on fire
  
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• Emergency response teams gather to train for upcoming hurricane season

  17-04-2024 15:51 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE With hurricane season nearing, the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness is gathering emergency response teams from all over the state to get ready for what they could potentially face.At this meeting, they reviewed old events that happened in Louisiana and use these real-world events to tailor them to fit their own scenario.One they reviewed was a Category 3 hurricane, but it sped up and came in much faster that anticipated. During the exercise, they hav
  
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• Utility company threatens to disconnect power, homeowner fighting security light bill

  17-04-2024 15:42 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - For the past two and a half years, Kathy King has been fighting with Entergy over a security light charge that she says she shouldn't have to pay."It's the principle of the matter," said King.The charge, which started at about $30, has grown to $124. In 2021, King says a contractor at her home noticed a security light in her backyard was not working. King says she put in a service request with Entergy for repairs but after Hurricane Ida hit she canceled the service. The light was
  
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• West Feliciana Parish man arrested for theft of over $1500 worth of livestock

  17-04-2024 15:34 via wbrz.com
  
  WEYANOKE - Inspectors arrested a man Tuesday for the theft of three cattle after he failed to deliver a purchase to the prospective buyer.According to officials with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry Livestock Brand Commission, Eric M. Harris, 37, sold three head of livestock from a West Feliciana cattle producer.  Harris allegedly failed to deliver the livestock purchased by the victim and subsequently sold the livestock at a local livestock market and kept
  
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• Capitol region faces two cyber-security attacks this month; Department of Homeland Security urges residents to take precaution

  17-04-2024 15:27 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - In the past month, many Baton Rouge residents received notice of their data being breached. One of these breaches includes the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office hack that exposed many highly-confidential employee documents on the dark web. Just days before, it was announced that a data breach at AT&T released over 70 million former and current user's information such as social security number, pin-codes and email addresses.The Department of Homeland Security suggests
  
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• Police investigating shooting, 18-wheeler clipping school bus in St. Mary Parish

  17-04-2024 15:13 via wbrz.com
  
  ST. MARY PARISH - The St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office is investigating two separate incidents including a shooting and a hit-and-run.The shooting happened around 8:40 p.m. Tuesday night on Irish Bend Road, where someone shot at a vehicle as a person traveled down the road. No one was injured as a result.Additionally, the administration of Glencoe Charter School complained earlier that day of an 18-wheeler clipped a bus with students inside at the intersection of Cypremort Road and Highway 83.
  
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• Sorrento man accused of child porn, sexual abuse of an animal arrested

  17-04-2024 14:40 via wbrz.com
  
  SORRENTO — A Sorrento man was arrested for allegedly possessing child pornography and sexually abusing an animal. Jayden McConnell, 20, was booked into the Ascension Parish Jail Tuesday on 30 counts of pornography involving a juvenile and one count of sexual abuse of an animal. McConnell was arrested by the Attorney General's Cyber Crime Unit.The AG's joint investigation with the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office, the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office and
  
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• Baker schools will offer 4-day school week for juniors, seniors in 2024

  17-04-2024 14:11 via wbrz.com
  
  BAKER - The Baker superintendent announced that the school board would be moving forward with a plan to offer a four-day school week to its high school juniors and seniors. "We have been looking at ways to motivate our students to focus on academics, behavior, and attendance," Superintendent JT Stroder said. "Next school year we will be offering a 4-day week option to our junior and senior students as long as they meet certain criteria set by the high school."Stroder did not specify wh
  
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• Jefferson Highway construction 'one month' behind schedule due to soils found while removing portion of road

  17-04-2024 14:05 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - The repaving of Jefferson Highway is now one month behind schedule due to crews discovering "unsuitable soils" while removing the old roadway. The Department of Transportation of Development said that while removing the portion of Jefferson Highway between I-12 and Chelsea Drive, DOTD encountered unsuitable soils that changed the course of their work.Officials said work in the impacted section should resume by the end of the week. The project is scheduled to be completed
  
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• Blanks man arrested for the theft of a 4-wheeler, utility trailer

  17-04-2024 14:04 via wbrz.com
  
  BLANKS — A Blanks man was arrested Wednesday for the theft of a four-wheeler, a utility trailer and a side-by-side.Luther Hendricks, 45, was arrested by Iberville Parish Sheriff's Office deputies on simple burglary and theft charges. The items were returned to their rightful owners, deputies said.Hendricks also has pending charges in Pointe Coupee Parish for illegal possession of stolen things.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Mercury and fish advisories issued for 11 waterways, including Lake Maurepas

  17-04-2024 13:12 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - The Louisiana Department of Health has issued a mercury advisory for 11 local waterways, including Lake Maurepas. The lake is the most recent addition to the list. The ten others were issued updated warnings. The warning comes after the Department of Environmental Quality tested the local fish and shellfish and found they contained unacceptable levels of mercury. The advisory for Lake Maurepas, which can be read here, lists the specific fish, makes consu
  
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• Ohio man fatally shot Uber driver after scam phone calls targeted both of them, authorities say

  17-04-2024 09:16 via wbrz.com
  
  SOUTH CHARLESTON, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio man who authorities say fatally shot an Uber driver who he thought was trying to rob him after scam phone calls deceived them both has been indicted on a murder charge.William Brock, 81, also faces counts of kidnapping and felonious assault in the indictment handed up Monday by a Clark County grand jury.Court documents did not list an attorney for him and a telephone number for Brock could not be located. He has pleaded not guilty and could face a
  
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• Two people hurt in shooting along North 13th Street

  16-04-2024 20:28 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - Two people were hurt in a shooting along North 13th Street on Tuesday night.The Baton Rouge Police Department said the shooting happened around 8 p.m. at the corner of North 13th and Convention streets.Officers said two people were taken to a hospital and are in stable condition. No more information was immediately available. Permalink| Comments
  
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• At least one person hurt in shooting along North 13th Street

  16-04-2024 20:28 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - At least one person was hurt in a shooting along North 13th Street on Tuesday night.Emergency officials said the shooting happened around 8 p.m. One person was taken to a hospital in an ambulance.Sources told WBRZ more people may have been hurt but left before police arrived. Permalink| Comments
  
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• Interstate sound wall burned from fire caused by homeless encampment

  16-04-2024 18:19 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - The State Department of Transportation is working on a plan to fix a portion of a sound barrier on the interstate that was partially burned in a fire.The fire happened on April 9 around 8:30 p.m. on a section of the sound wall along I-12 westbound between Drusilla Lane and Essen Lane. According to the St. George Fire Department, a homeless encampment is to blame for the blaze."It was pretty obvious that somebody had been cooking outside near the fence. It was too close to the fenc
  
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• Jewish organization fighting to ban lethal gas as execution method

  16-04-2024 17:32 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - Members of Jews Against Gassing stood alongside Senator Katrina Jackson-Andrews on the Capitol steps Tuesday afternoon to protest a recently passed bill which legalized lethal gas as an execution method.House Bill 6, authored by Representative Muscarello and signed by Governor Jeff Landry, approved the use of lethal gas for death-row executions. The new precedent is set to begin in July.Louisiana became the eighth state in the country to recognize lethal gas as an execution method
  
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• Regions Bank employee indicted in embezzlement of $250,000 from Plank Road branch

  16-04-2024 17:15 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE — A Plaquemine man pleaded not guilty to bank fraud charges after more than $250,000 was diverted from customer accounts at a Regions Bank branch.Eric Schouest, 53, managed Regions Bank Plank Road branch. He is accused of moving customers' money into his own accounts and using it to pay personal expenses, including his house and car. The thefts happened in 2020 and 2021.Schouest, who worked at Regions from 2010 to 2021, is accused of faking paperwork to cover up the embezz
  
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• Regions Bank employee indicted for embezzlement of $250,000 from Plank Road branch

  16-04-2024 17:15 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE — A Plaquemine man was indicted Tuesday on bank fraud after embezzling more than $250,000 from the Regions Bank he worked at.Eric Schouest, 53, pleaded not guilty to embezzling funds from customer accounts at the Regions Bank Plank Road branch he was a branch manager at. He deposited the money into his personal bank accounts from 2020 to April 2021. He used the money to make loan payments on personal items, including a house and a car.Schouest, who worked at Regions from 2
  
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• Ponchatoula man arrested for estranged wife's homicide

  16-04-2024 16:19 via wbrz.com
  
  PONCHATOULA — A Ponchatoula man was arrested for the March killing of his estranged wife.David Hernandez, 49, was booked Monday on second degree murder and obstruction of justice charges for the March 20 homicide of his wife, Lisa Hernandez, 45. The couple had been separated for a year when David Hernandez began stalking Lisa Hernandez, randomly showing up her workplace, Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office deputies said. David Hernandez reportedly sent Lisa Hernandez a bouquet
  
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• Gov. Jeff Landry signs emergency declaration to assist in severe weather, tornado relief

  16-04-2024 15:59 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE — Gov. Jeff Landry signed an emergency declaration Tuesday afternoon that permits the use of state resources to assist in the recovery process in areas affected by last week's severe weather and tornados. Landry's order allows the state to provide debris removal assistance and emergency protective measures in Pointe Coupee, West Feliciana, St. Landry and St. Tammany parishes.St. Tammany Parish, specifically Slidell, will also receive shelter assistance to assist t
  
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• Hammond man killed after woman runs red light, crashes into vehicle

  16-04-2024 14:53 via wbrz.com
  
  HAMMOND - A man died in a hospital on Monday afternoon following a crash along US 190 in Tangipahoa Parish. State Police said 45-year-old Eric Cook of Hammond was headed north when he pulled up to the traffic light at US 190 and South Baptist Road around 5:15 p.m. Cook had a green light and went through the intersection. Troopers said Cook's vehicle was hit by 24-year-old Victoria Reid, who was headed eastbound at the same intersection and ran a red light. Cook was ta
  
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• FEMA approves new disaster mitigation plan to assist state through 2029

  16-04-2024 14:31 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE — FEMA approved a new hazard mitigation plan for Louisiana that will help the state qualify for federal aid and grants until 2029, the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness announced Tuesday.The Louisiana State Hazard Mitigation Plan went into effect March 21 and will be in place until March 20, 2029. GOHSEP led the effort to establish the new plan."Having a strong state hazard mitigation plan is critical to help Louisiana communities prepare an
  
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• Former Denham Springs mayor Jimmy Durbin dies

  16-04-2024 14:10 via wbrz.com
  
  DENHAM SPRINGS — Former Denham Springs mayor Jimmy Durbin died Tuesday morning, current mayor Gerard Landry told WBRZ."It's unfortunate that Jimmy died this morning. He has been a true public servant for the city of Denham Springs," Landry said. Durbin served as Denham Springs' mayor for three terms starting in 2002. During his time as mayor, Durbin was diagnosed with cancer in 2007 and received treatment. Prior to his time as mayor, he served on the City Council for 15 years
  
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• Man sentenced to 7 years for spraying mace at, robbing postal worker

  16-04-2024 14:03 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE — A Texas man convicted of robbing a mail carrier at gunpoint in 2021 was sentenced to 7½ years in prison Tuesday.Tarek Sonnier, 26, pleaded guilty to robbing the mail carrier and spraying her with mace on Oct. 6, 2021. The USPS worker was delivering mail near the intersection of North 8th Street and North Street in Spanish Town when Sonnier approached her with a letter.The mail carrier asked if he was looking to mail the letter and Sonnier said "yes," before ho
  
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