Vandebilt falls in Championship Match
February 21, 2019
ORDINARY MEN WITH EXTRAORDINARY MOVES
February 21, 2019
Two Houma police officers were injured Saturday night during an attempt to break up a fight that broke out in a Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center hallway, as revelers – most unaware of the fracas – celebrated a Carnival tableaux.
Two men and woman face criminal charges in connection with the incident, one of whom was a krewe member. S.P. LaRussa, founder and chairman of the Krewe of Hercules, Houma’s biggest Carnival club, said that member will be banned from the group and that the two other people identified as taking part in the melee will be forever banned from Hercules events.
“We don’t need that kind of activity,” said LaRussa, who estimated that 2,500 people were in attendance at the annual event.
The incident marked the second known time that police officers have been injured as a result of violence at a Hercules gathering. Litigation is still pending in connection with a fracas at a Hercules party held in 2014, during which a Terrebonne Parish deputy suffered injuries. One attendee at that event was charged with a crime, although court papers indicate that two men who were arrested somehow were released from their handcuffs before their identities could be confirmed.
During Saturday’s incident all known participants alleged to have committed crimes were jailed on charges ranging from a pre-existing warrant to felony battery of a police officer.
Brent Ramirez, 22, of 5477 Vicari St., Houma, who was a recently-joined member of the krewe, was booked on charges of simple assault, resisting an officer by force, felony battery on a police officer, disturbing the peace by intoxication and disturbing the peace by loud and abusive language, as well as disturbing the peace by fighting. A bond had not been set for him as of Monday.
Leonard Williams, 19, of the same address, was charged with disturbing the peace by loud and abusive language and failure to appear in court on a prior charge. His bond was set at $563. Williams was not a member of the krewe but a guest at the function, as was Brandi Thibodeaux, 43, 212 Fairmont Drive, booked for battery of a police officer. She made a $1,500 bond on Sunday.
Houma Police Chief Dana Coleman said officers were working at the function performing security and observed an altercation in the Civic Center hallway.
“Observing this, one of the officers working the function approached the groups in question, but while doing so an attendee later identified as (Williams), throws his shoulder into the officer in an aggressive manner and began yelling profanities,” Coleman said. “As this was taking place, (Ramirez) also approached the officer in an aggressive manner yelling profanities attempting to entice the officer in an encounter.”
Coleman said another officer grabbed Ramirez and escorted him outside, at which point Ramirez began fighting with officers, who had to take him to the ground so that he could be handcuffed.
As officers attempted to subdue Ramirez, Coleman said, one of them was punched in the face. Ramirez continued resisting, Coleman said, and a Tazer was used to get him under control.
The injury count regarding officers was placed at two by Coleman, who described those injuries as “minor.”
Witnesses are still being sought, Coleman said, and anyone with information may submit a tip anonymously through Crime Stoppers Bayou Region, by phone at 1-800-743-7433 or online at www.crimestoppersbr.org. Tipsters could be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 in cash if the information leads to an arrest.
Guests and members of the krewe said they were unaware of the difficulty going on outside the actual hall where the ball was held. Larussa said about 2500 people were in attendance and that at the time the fight broke out about 100 people were on the stage, dancing to the music of a live band.
“This right here was uncalled for,” LaRussa said. “Everybody was having a blast.”
He said that Mark Pitre, a Terrebonne Parish District Attorney’s investigator who is president of the krewe, was immediately notified that one of his float riders was involved. There was no question among any of the krewe officials that Ramirez should be barred.
“We have 760 float riders every year,” LaRussa said. “This is only the second time I can remember someone being banned from the club.”
Leonard Williams was arrested for disturbing the peace, while Brent Romtrez Was charged with felony battery of a police officer an incident at the krewe of hercuies tabieau this weekend. Also arrested was Brandi Thibodaux for battery of a police officer.
