Hwy 308 reopened to traffic
June 28, 2011John Alford Ashley
June 30, 2011
Louisiana State Police Troop C said 12 explosive devices were located at the scene of a Monday morning crash on La. Highway 308 south of McCloud Road in Lockport.
LSP Master Trooper Bryan Zeringue said troopers were called to the location at approximately 7:27 a.m. to investigate the one-vehicle accident.
Zeringue said Tony A. Barisich, of 53, of Terrytown, was driving a 1998 GMC pickup southbound on La. Highway 308 in Lockport when he failed to negotiate a right bank curve and ran off the roadway to the right, striking the bridge guardrail. The master trooper added that Barisich’s vehicle then overturned and came to rest in a drainage ditch.
When on the scene, 10 homemade pipe bombs and two legally bought firework devices were located in the truck.
Investigators were able to detonate the devices in an empty cane field near the site so they could render them safe.
Zeringue said an investigation concluded that Barisich was not intending to use the devices maliciously but was going to use them for entertainment purposes.
While detonating the explosives, traffic was rerouted from La. Highway 308 to La. Highway 1 at the Bellevue Bridge and East Fontinelle Road in Lockport. That detour remained in place for close to eight hours.
Barisich, who wore his seat belt at the time of the crash, received moderate injuries and was air lifted to Thibodaux Regional Medical Center.
Alcohol or drug use is not a factor in the wreck, according to Zeringue.
Barisich is charged with careless operation in the crash. Upon release from the hospital, he will be charged with 10 counts of manufacture and possession of a bomb, one count of possession of explosives without a license, one count of reckless use of explosives, one count of unlawful storage of explosives.
No bond has been set.
