Two die in separate wrecks

Two die in separate wrecks

Louisiana State Police are investigating two separate weekend crashes in Acadiana that took the lives of two people.
The first happened just before midnight on Friday on La. 339, north of La. 14 in Vermilion Parish.

Investigators say a 16-year-old girl was driving Ford truck north on La. 339, when she traveled off the right side of the road for unknown reasons.

The truck struck a culvert, then struck a tree, which caused the truck to come to a rest upside down on the roadway's shoulder.

Three other 16-year-olds and a 17-year-old male were passengers in the truck.

A 16-year-old passenger from Delcambre was trapped inside the truck and died at the scene.

The driver and other passengers were transported to local hospitals with minor to moderate injuries.
The 16-year-old driver faces charges of careless operation of a motor vehicle, DWI first offense and vehicular homicide, but was released into the custody of her mother because the juvenile facility was at capacity.

The second fatal crash happened early Sunday morning on La. 353 in the Cypress Island community. It happened around 4:30 a.m.

Brock Blanchard, 21, of St. Martinville was driving a 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe north on La. 353.

Blanchard failed to negotiate a curve, causing the SUV to travel across the southbound lanes onto the shoulder, according to police.

The SUV then struck an embankment to a driveway, causing the SUV to roll over.

It struck a utility pole and came to rest on the passenger side of the vehicle.

A passenger in the SUV, 19-year-old Jordi Guilbeau, was transported to a local hospital with moderate to severe injuries.

Blanchard and Guilbeau were both trapped in the vehicle.

Neither of the two were wearing seat belts, and Blanchard died at the scene.

Investigators are unsure if alcohol or drugs were factors in this crash.

Chemical test results are pending at the state crime lab.

Louisiana State Police Troop I has investigated 10 fatal crashes, resulting in 13 fatalities so far this year.

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NY man with anti-DWI device in car crashes rental

NY man with anti-DWI device in car crashes rental

NEW YORK (AP) — Police on Long Island say a convicted drunken driver whose car was equipped with anti-drunken driving technology has crashed a rented vehicle while intoxicated.

Suffolk County police say Marvin Rice Jr. lost control of his rental car and hit a utility pole Sunday morning in Brentwood. Stony Brook University Medical Center says Rice is in critical condition.

Police say the 27-year-old driver agreed after a previous DWI conviction to equip his car with a device that tests for alcohol in a driver's breath before starting the car.

It was unclear when he rented another car that had no such device.

He's expected to be arraigned on a DWI charge.

A telephone number for Rice couldn't be found, and it wasn't immediately known whether he had a lawyer.

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OnStar tips cops to alleged DWI

OnStar tips cops to alleged DWI

YORKTOWN - A Yorktown man was arrested after the OnStar system in his car alerted police that he had been in an accident.

William J. Spiezio, 28, of Central Street, was charged Feb. 6 with misdemeanor driving while intoxicated after he was involved in an accident around 1:20 a.m., police said.

The OnStar system alerted police to an accident involving airbag deployment.

Responding officers determined Spiezio was intoxicated, police said. Spiezio is to appear March 5 in Carmel Town Court.

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DWI charges hold driver

DWI charges hold driver

Oddit N. Beni, 50, of Seaview Avenue in Jersey City, was charged with drunk driving on Thursday after running a red light on Kennedy Boulevard in Bayonne, police said. 

Police stopped Beni after he made a left turn onto 63rd Street through a red light, reports said. Police said Beni smelled of alcohol and had an open bottle of Hennessy in the car.
Beni performed poorly on two field sobriety tests and was charged with driving while intoxicated, as well as failure to observe a signal, careless driving and possession of an open container, reports said.

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Allegedly intoxicated couple seek lift from police

Allegedly intoxicated couple seek lift from police

LA MARQUE, Texas (AP) — An allegedly intoxicated couple stopped at a police station to try to catch a lift home. La Marque Police Chief Richard Price said the woman collapsed in the lobby. Her 22-year-old boyfriend was arrested after marijuana was found in his shoes.

Price told The Associated Press on Friday he believes the two were under the influence of narcotics and "thought they needed to get a ride home."

The Galveston County Daily News reports a police dispatcher monitoring security video Wednesday night noticed the pair.

Price said the woman, who received medical attention, recovered and will be cited for public intoxication. Her name was not released.

Michael Carl Bell of Texas City was jailed on a marijuana possession charge. A Galveston County jailer, who declined to allow her name to be used, said bond was $2,592.

Price and the jailer had no information on an attorney for Bell.

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Watertown Man Charged with Aggravated DWI After Leaving Scene of Accident on W. Main St.

Watertown Man Charged with Aggravated DWI After Leaving Scene of Accident on W. Main St.

The following motorists are charged with driving while intoxicated and related offenses:

Robert C. Elliott, 22, of 547 Morrison St., Apt. 2, Watertown, was charged by Watertown police at 12:25 a.m. Friday in the 100 block of Massey Street with aggravated DWI, leaving the scene of a property damage accident, unreasonable speed, and having a defective headlight. Police said Mr. Elliott was heading east in the 500 block of W. Main Street when he lost control, crossed the roadway and struck two vehicles parked in front of Fast Lube of Watertown. A 2006 Cadillac belonging to Deborah A. Bancroft, 61, and a 2002 Ford owned by Dennis L. LaJuett, 36, Calcium, were unoccupied when they were struck, police said. Mr. Elliott left the scene, but was stopped in the 100 block of Massey Street for having no right front headlight, they said. His blood alcohol content was 0.22 percent, police said. Aggravated DWI, which carries a harsher sentence upon conviction, is charged when the blood alcohol content is 0.18 percent or more. A BAC level of 0.08 percent or more is considered proof of intoxication under state law. He is ordered to appear March 3 in City Court.

Postings from earlier this week:

Lamar D. Cook, 30, of 26826 Anabel Ave., Evans Mills, was charged by Watertown police at 3:01 a.m. Thursday in the 100 block of Boon Street with felony DWI, first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, speeding, unsafe lane change and failing a field test. Police said he twice refused to take a breathalyzer test. He was stopped by police at 2:41 a.m. after being observed making an unsafe lane change and speeding in the 600 block of Arsenal Street, according to documents. The charge is a felony due to a previous DWI conviction on April 29, 2008, police said. He was being held on $750 police bail pending arraignment Thursday morning in City Court. 

Christopher N. Spano, 22, Pulaski, was charged by state police at 1:38 a.m. Thursday on Route 15 in the town of Sandy Creek with DWI. His blood alcohol content and further details were not made available. 

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Lafourche sheriff's deputy charged with DWI

Lafourche sheriff's deputy charged with DWI

THIBODAUX – A Lafourche Parish sheriff’s deputy was arrested Thursday night for allegedly driving drunk and speeding in the south Lafourche area, authorities said.

Police say Dayshawn Green, of 183 City Place Apartments in Lockport, failed a field-sobriety test shortly after a State trooper pulled him over for speeding.

Green, a five-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office, was booked with first offense DWI and released from jail with a court summons. Due to jail overcrowding, a summons is issued on all first offense DWI arrests.

Sheriff Craig Webre said Green would receive a five-day suspension, in addition to possible criminal penalties stemming from his arrest.

“We will offer a course of treatment and a position that does not require use of any Sheriff’s Office equipment,” Webre said in a Sheriff’s Office news release. 

The course of treatment and position offered were not specified in the release.

For details, read Saturday's Daily Comet and Courier or check back here at dailycomet.com or houmatoday.com after 8 a.m.

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