Louisiana agents arrest 19 boaters over Fourth of July weekend

BATON ROUGE, La. (KLFY) — The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has announced the numbers from Operation Dry Water over the Fourth of July weekend.

In partnership with the United States Coast Guard and Louisiana State Police, the LDWF Enforcement Division arrested 19 boaters statewide, seven of them in Acadiana waters, for alleged driving or operating a vessel while intoxicated from July 4-6 as part of the

National Association of State Boating Law Administrators campaign.

“We are proud of the hard work our agents put forth during Operation Dry Water weekend. Our Enforcement Division will continue to focus on the safety of our boaters by removing impaired drivers from the water,” said LDWF Secretary Tyler Bosworth. “We are also thankful for USCG and LSP for their continued support for boating safety in Louisiana.”

On July 4, agents arrested the following for DWI:

• Neal J. Duval, 48, of Morgan City, on Lake Palourde in St. Martin Parish.
• Garrett C. Amadore, 27, of Lumberton, Texas, on Bayou Ramos in St. Mary Parish.
• Randall S. Myers, 53, of Morgan City, on Bayou Long in St. Martin Parish.
• Dylan Trahan, 30, of Gueydan, on the Mermentau River in Jefferson Davis Parish.
• Michael H. Mclendon, 35, of Homer, on Lake Claiborne in Claiborne Parish.
• Collin Copponex, 22, of Prairieville, on the Blind River in Livingston Parish.
• James Norman, 32, of Ponchatoula, on the Tickfaw River in Livingston Parish.
• Kacy Burke, 37, of Seward, Ark., on the Tchefuncte River in St. Tammany Parish.

On July 5, agents arrested the following for DWI:

• Patrick J. Marcantel, 48, of St. Amant, on Lake Palourde in St. Martin Parish.
• Joshua D. Boaz, 38, of Grand Saline, Texas, on Four Mile Bayou in St. Martin Parish.
• Rhett L. Ducote, 36, of Hessmer, on Larto Lake in Catahoula Parish.
• Peyton Wafer, 22, of Dubberly, on Lake Bisteneau in Webster Parish.
• Lance Whittington, 25, of Hammond, on the Tickfaw River in Livingston Parish.
• James Jones, 42, of Central, on the Tickfaw River in Livingston Parish.

On July 6, agents arrested the following for DWI:

• Tristan M. Guidry, 29, of Coral Springs, Florida, in Henderson Bay in St. Martin Parish.
• Christopher Parodi, 34, of Belle Chasse, on Myrtle Grove Canal in Plaquemines Parish.
• Ryan Swilley, 27, of Denham Springs, on the Tickfaw River in Livingston Parish.

In addition to the DWI arrests, LDWF agents also worked and investigated several non-fatal boating crash incidents from July 4 to 6.

In Calcasieu Parish on July 4, a 14-foot vessel with three people on board capsized in the Ship Channel. The occupants of the vessel were all wearing personal flotation devices and were rescued by the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office. Their vessel was also recovered from the water.

Also in Calcasieu on July 4, two vessels collided in a bend in the Calcasieu River, ejecting two people into the water, including the operator of one of the vessels who was wearing his engine cutoff switch. Everyone was recovered from the water, and no one was injured.

Anyone cited for a DWI on the water or on the road will lose his or her driver’s license and boating privileges for the specified time ordered by the judge in the case, officials said. Also, each offense of operating a vehicle or vessel while intoxicated counts toward the total number of DWI crimes, whether they happened on the water or road.

In Louisiana, a DWI can be issued to anyone operating a moving vessel or vehicle while impaired. First offense DWI carries a $300 to $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail.

Operation Dry Water was started in 2009 by NASBLA and LDWF has been a participant every year since its inception. 

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