CRIME BLOTTER: Reported offenses in the Tri-parishes

Maryland man charged with carjacking, blames drugs

A Maryland man accused of shoving a 74-year-old and carjacking his 2000 Chevrolet Silverado and then leading police on a reckless chase through east Houma Thursday is in jail on multiple charges, authorities said.

Chester Termain Jones, 33, told Houma Police he has a drug problem, which led to his morning crime spree, Police Chief Todd Duplantis said. Jones admitted to smoking crack cocaine before and during the car chase, the chief said.

Jones is being held at the Terrebonne Parish Jail. He is charged with carjacking, aggravated flight from an officer, aggravated criminal damage to property and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Duplantis said police were gathering information about the carjacking, patrol officers spotted the Silverado pulling out of Daniel Turner Trailer Court.

With police lights and sirens engaged, officers began pursuing Jones through several back streets of various east-side subdivision, the police chief said. Jones ignored several stop signs, ran over speed limit signs, fences and cut through yards – totally disregarding the safety of the public, police and himself, Duplantis said.

Jones also reportedly drove over an AT&T service utility box at the intersection of Ranger Street and Mary Ann Avenue during the chase, the chief said.

Houma Police used a PIT (Pursuit Immobilization Technique) maneuver near Mary Ann Avenue and Grand Caillou Road to stop the truck.

A crack pipe was found inside the truck, Duplantis said.

The truck was towed from the scene, and returned to the owner after processing, the chief said.

The penalty for those convicted of carjacking is 2 to 20 years imprisonment at hard labor without the benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence. The sentence for aggravated flight from an officer is up to 2 years in prison at hard labor.

 

Woman fights off would-be robber at Houma ATM

A woman using a bank ATM in the 1800 block of E. Tunnel Boulevard early Thursday fought off a would-be robber, Houma Police reported.

Around 4:35 a.m., the victim was using the Capital One Bank ATM, when Sandy Ross, 46, of Dewey Street in Houma, approached her from behind and grabbed her hands, authorities said. The victim fought Ross off, and Ross eventually ran away.

The woman at the ATM machine was unharmed, police said.

Officers patrolling the area found Ross walking in the Houma Navigational Canal tunnel. Ross was detained and identified by the victim, police said.

Ross was charged with attempted simple robbery and was transported to the Terrebonne Parish Jail.

 

Juvenile charged with terrorizing store worker

A Thibodaux juvenile is facing a terrorizing charge after he allegedly pointed a pellet gun last week at an employee of a business in the 300 block of N. Canal Boulevard, authorities said.

The store staffer suspected the boy and the two males accompanying him entered the store to steal, Thibodaux Police spokesman David Melancon said. When employee approached the boy, he pointed a black handgun at her. She wrestled it from the juvenile.

Melancon said the gun, which resembled a black semi-automatic handgun, was confirmed to be a pellet gun.

The trio admitted to police that they had stolen the gun – as well as a second pellet gun, which they discarded before police arrived – from another Thibodaux business a month earlier.

The juvenile who pointed the gun at the employee was arrested; the other two juveniles were released to their guardians.

Melancon said the investigation is ongoing.

 

HPD cracking down on underage alcohol, tobacco sales

Houma Police is toughening its enforcement against businesses unlawfully selling tobacco products or alcohol to underage consumers.

It is illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone under age 18, and alcohol to anyone under age 21, Police Chief Todd Duplantis is reminding distributors and retailers.

Houma Police recently received a $201,496 JUDE (Juvenile Underage Drinking Enforcement) grant, which is given by the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission to curb underage drinking. The HPD grant award is intended to target highway safety issues and juvenile-related crimes.

Duplantis said the money will be used to conduct operations to curtail curfew violations and sales of alcohol or tobacco to underage people.

During the department’s first JUDE-funded operation, 41 underage people were sent into 41 businesses to buy tobacco or alcohol. In all, 38 establishments complied with the law. Cited for violations were:

• Jubilee, Lafayette Street and La. Highway 311, citation issued to Cora Elizabeth Little for alcohol sale;

• Plantation Truck Stop, La. Highway 311, citation issued to Katbreelia Caldwell for alcohol sale;

• Bayou Express, Howard Ave., citation issued to Saleh Hussein for alcohol sale.

Houma Police also conducted 14 bar checks in the city and found no underage drinkers inside.

 

Firearm, drugs found during Raceland traffic stop

Lafourche deputies discovered drugs and a firearm during a traffic stop for a non-functioning taillight last Wednesday, authorities said.

Raceland’s Bart Howes, 30, of 136 Elm St., and Katrina Porche, 24, of 703 St. Philip St., were arrested and charged with carrying a weapon in the presence of controlled dangerous substances, as well as possession of marijuana, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Howes was also charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and no taillight. Porche was also charged with possession of Soma.

District Judge Ashly Bruce Simpson set Howes’ bond at $58,600. Porche’s bond is $5,000.

Lafourche sheriff’s spokesman Brennan Matherne said deputies patrolling La. Highway 1 spotted Howes vehicle and initiated a traffic stop because of the taillight. As Howes exited the vehicle, deputies could smell marijuana coming from inside, Matherne said.

Howes voluntarily allowed deputies to search the vehicle, the spokesman said. He said deputies found approximately 2.1 grams of marijuana, a small amount of methamphetamine, eight Soma pills, drug paraphernalia and a rifle with ammunition.

 

Morgan City man charged with attempted rape

Omar Morales Hernandez, 19, of Halsey Street in Morgan City, was arrested last Monday afternoon on attempted rape charges, Morgan City Police Lt. James Blair said in a release.

The Houma Police issued a warrant for Hernandez’s arrest in connection with an incident that occurred in Houma.

Blair said Hernandez was arrested without incident.

He was booked into the Morgan City jail, and will be transported to the Houma Police Department.

 

Houma woman charged in alleged box cutter attack

Ebony Dozer, 25, of 208 Southland Circle, Apt. F, in Houma, was charged with second-degree battery last Sunday after she allegedly attacking a man with a box cutter, Houma Police Chief Todd Duplantis said.

Officers were patrolling Houma’s Main Street area when they spotted a couple fighting near the Money Market at 7468 Main St., the police chief said.

Duplantis said the two had been arguing over a vehicle belonging to the man. When he went to retrieve the vehicle, Dozer allegedly pulled a box cutter and cut the man in the abdomen, the police chief said.