LPSO deputies continue to recover

Two Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s deputies remain hospitalized after being shot Tuesday morning while attempting to arrest a Georgia man in a stolen vehicle, a department spokesman said today.

Deputy Roland Guillot, 41, a two-year veteran of the sheriff’s office, was struck in the back by a blast from a 20-guage shotgun. His partner, Deputy Bridget Rupe, 23, a recent LPSO police academy graduate, was struck in the lower part of her left arm, said LPSO Public Information Officer Larry Weidel.

Both officers were airlifted to Thibodaux Regional Medical Center yesterday for treatment.

Rupe underwent eight hours of surgery to restore the blood flow to the lower part of her left arm Tuesday, said LPSO spokesman Larry Weidel. She was expected to undergo a second surgery today, he said, and a plastic surgeon was scheduled to assist. She remains in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit.

Rupe is a single mother of a 3-year-old daughter. Her fiancé has remained at her side through the ordeal, and her father was expected to arrive from New York Wednesday, Weidel said.

Doctors removed debris from Guillot’s wounds Tuesday, and he was moved to a private room Wednesday, Weidel said. Guillot was wearing a protective vest in keeping with a promise he made to his wife Amy when he returned to law enforcement. Webre and fellow lawmen credit with saving the deputy’s life.

Guillot, the father of six children, could be released from the hospital soon, Weidel said.

Webre announced Wednesday that a fund for the injured deputies has been set up through the Lafourche Deputies Association. Contributions or donations can be made the LDA Relief Fund, P.O. Box 1096, Thibodaux, LA 70301. Monies are also being accepted for the deputies at any branch of Capital One Bank or any sheriff’s office.

The deputies were shot around 6:30 a.m. Tuesday after the two deputies spotted a blue Chevrolet pickup truck dispatchers reported stolen from a convenience store a mile outside of Thibodaux, Weidel said. Guillot pulled the car over along La. 1 and was handcuffing the driver when a second pickup truck pulled up to the scene. The driver of that vehicle, which had stolen in Georgia the day before, fired at the officers with a 20-guage shotgun, LPSO Sheriff Craig Webre said.

As the deputies took cover, the driver of the pickup stolen in Thibodaux joined the driver of the stolen Georgia truck and the two fled. After an intensive 90-minute manhunt in the St. Charles community where the two abandoned the stolen truck, authorities arrested the two men.

Robert Alan Power, 18, of Martinez, Ga., and Daniel Stuart Rhodes, 22, of Harlem, Ga., were charged Tuesday with two counts of attempted first-degree murder of a police officer, theft of an auto, and two counts of possession of stolen property. Rhodes was also charged with unlawful use of body armor.

State District Judge Buddy Larose set bond for the two cousins at $5 million each.

The two are being held in separate sections of the Lafourche Parish jail.

LPSO deputies continue to recover