Terrebonne moves on; Bourgeois season ends
November 7, 2006
Bad driving ends with drug arrest
November 9, 2006
A second man was arrested Wednesday morning in connection with a theft at the Mardi Gras Bingo Hall Monday, a Houma Police spokesman said.
Lt. Todd Duplantis reported that Garry Neil Prater, 46, 200 Goaux Ave., Houma, was arrested at 1:43 a.m. at his residence. Detectives believe Prater drove the get-away vehicle in Monday night’s snatch-and-grab theft that left a Mississippi man behind bars.
Timmy Patrick Prentice, 28, 1241 County Road-601, Baldwyn, Miss., was arrested and charged with felony theft two hours after the incident Monday, the spokesman said.
Around 8:44 p.m. Monday, Prentice entered Mardi Gras Bingo Hall during a bingo session and began asking questions about how the game is played, Duplantis said. A Houma women’s organization was sponsoring the bingo game.
According to eyewitness accounts, Prentice suddenly ran up to the payout table, took a moneybag containing over $500 and ran out of the bingo hall. Women from the krewe and Houma Police working at the bingo hall chased Prentice, but he fled in a green 1996 Ford Taurus, Duplantis said. They spotted his vehicle turn on Goaux Avenue, and forwarded that information on to police, he said.
Officers found the car a short time later abandoned on Goaux Avenue, he said. “They staked out the area, keeping an eye on the car until the guy returned,” the spokesman explained.
At 10:50 p.m., Prentice made his way back to the vehicle on Gouax Avenue and police arrested him without incident, the spokesman said.
Officers learned yesterday that Prater waited outside the bingo hall while Prentice was inside. When Prentice ran out of the establishment with the moneybag, Prater drove the Taurus from the scene, Duplantis said.
When officers arrived at Prater’s residence, they found a crack pipe and rolling papers in his possession, the officer said. He was charged with felony theft and possession of drug paraphernalia.
(Posted Nov. 8, 2006)
