N.O. woman booked with attempted murder after intentionally striking a man she knew with her car in front of his home and forcing police to pursue her into the city

A New Orleans woman was booked with attempted murder after intentionally striking a man she knew with a car in front of his Chalmette home and forcing police to pursue her into the city, Sheriff James Pohlmann

Quaneka Collins, 24, had her young daughter with her in a car when she intentionally struck Ernest Davis, 25, the morning of Jan. 9 as he was about to walk into his residence in the 3700 block of Richelieu Court, the sheriff said.

Davis and Collins had a previous relationship, the sheriff said.

Davis was thrown in the air by the impact and fell to the ground, suffering injuries to his face, arms and legs and was treated at the scene by emergency medical personnel.

Collins fled in the car and refused to stop when sheriff’s deputies spotted her and pursued her into New Orleans, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

She passed several other cars on the shoulder of the road at a high rate of speed in an effort to get away.

Collins led deputies on a pursuit on several streets in the Ninth Ward of the city before she stopped in the 2500 block of Delery Street, got out with her daughter and ran away.They were soon found hiding in a shed on Delery, the sheriff said.

Collins acknowledged afterward that she had struck the victim.

She was booked with attempted murder, aggravated flight from officers and child endangerment because her juvenile daughter was in the fleeing car. Also, Collins was booked with criminal damage to property because she allegedly cut tires on Davis’ vehicle prior to the incident in which he was struck.

She was placed in St. Bernard Parish Prison and is being held in lieu of bond set at $264,000. Her daughter was turned over to a woman chosen by Collins.

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Sheriff’s Office administrative offices to close Monday, Jan. 16, for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday

All administrative offices of the Sheriff’s Office will be closed on Monday, Jan. 16, for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday.

Offices will resume normal business hours on Tuesday, January 17.

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Five juvenile males from Violet arrested for unarmed robbery of a pizza delivery worker in Violet the night of Jan. 10; two other similar robberies also happened that night

Five juvenile males from Violet, ages 14, 15 and 16, were arrested for an unarmed robbery of a pizza delivery worker in Violet the night of Jan. 10 and they are suspects in two other similar robberies that also happened that night, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

The five, two 16 year-olds, two 15-year-olds and a 14-year-old, were arrested as part of an investigation of three unarmed robberies of pizza delivery workers within a short period of time about 8 p.m. the night of Jan. 10, the sheriff said. No weapons were shown or implied in the incidents.

In all three incidents, which happened in the 2300 blocks of Licciardi and Highland drives, delivery workers were forced to hand over money and the pizzas they had.

There was also a fourth such incident that happened the night of Jan. 1 in the 2400 block of Beachead Lane in which one young person committed an unarmed robbery on a pizza delivery worker, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

In the robberies committed the night of Jan. 10, the five teen-age males are booked with simple robbery of a pizza delivery worker on Highland Drive.

The worker reported a group of six young males were standing outside and one said the pizza was for them. When the worker approached with several pizzas one of them grabbed an arm of the delivery worker and demanded money, then the group fled after getting money and pizzas.

Sheriff’s deputies searched for people based on the descriptions of the robbers the worker gave, the sheriff said.

Deputies found a group of young males matching the descriptions on Guerra Drive in Violet and were stopped for questioning. The worker who had been robbed identified five of them as being part of the group which robbed him.

Those five were taken into custody and booked into the St. Bernard Juvenile Detention Center, where they are being held.

Bonds were set for them the morning of Jan. 11 and several were expected to make bond.

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Coast Guard, with help from Sheriff’s Office, rescues two men and a dog from a sinking boat and a third man in the vessel was picked up by another boater

The Coast Guard, with help from the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office, rescued two men and a dog from a sinking boat that had been swamped off Delacroix Island on Saturday, Jan. 7, and a third man in the vessel was picked up by another boater.

Someone aboard the 17-footer called for held about 7:30 a.m. when the men’s boat had been swamped by waves in Howard’s Ditch, a canal, while they were on a hunting trip.

It was at least the seventh time in recent months that boats have sunk in St. Bernard Parish waters and people aboard had to be rescued, the Sheriff’s Office Marine Division said.

A Coast Guard helicopter crew was dispatched on Jan, 7 and with the help of the Sheriff’s Office located the sinking boat.

Two of the men and the dog were hoisted aboard the helicopter and flown to Air Station New Orleans, where they were reported in stable condition.

Due to weight limitations on the helicopter, one man was left on the boat but was picked up by another boater.

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Chalmette special education teacher gets out on $10,000 bond after booked Jan. 5 with indecent behavior with a juvenile over emails sent to a teen-ager who is a former student of his

A special education teacher at a Chalmette elementary school has gotten out on a $10,000 bond after being booked Jan. 5 with indecent behavior with a juvenile over emails and texts he exchanged with a teen-ager who is a former student, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

David C. Kimberly, 59, 2317 Gen. Pershing St., New Orleans, was released from St. Bernard Parish Prison on the $10,000 bond set Monday by state District Judge Robert Buckley.
Kimberly has been teaching in St. Bernard Parish since 2012 and is assigned to Lacoste Elementary School in Chalmette, where he teaches about 15 special education students, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

He said St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office detectives began an investigation of Kimberly after being contacted by authorities in a Tennessee town who said a woman living there had filed a complaint after finding inappropriate emails on her juvenile son’s computer from a former teacher.

The teacher had set up an email account under a fake name, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

Kimberly, who taught the boy – who is autistic – several years ago, had been exchanging emails and texts with him as recently as early December last year, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

Kimberly was booked with indecent behavior with a juvenile, a felony, because of the content of the emails between him and the former student, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

An investigation is continuing, the sheriff said.

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Cold weather boating calls for taking special precautions and knowing effects of wind on tides, sheriff says; at least seven boats have capsized or been partially sunk in recent months

In recent months, at least seven boats in St. Bernard Parish waters have capsized in bad weather or were partially sunk, requiring the boaters to be rescued by the Sheriff’s Office Marine Division or the Coast Guard.

The problems illustrate the importance of taking special precautions for cold weather boating, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

If people get stuck on the water or their boat sinks as temperatures are dropping their survival could be at stake if they haven’t taken some basic steps before going out, the sheriff said.

Most problems on the water involve a boat breaking down,  getting stuck on a mud flat – especially after rapid tide drop caused by winds – or the boaters getting lost, Sheriff Pohlmann said. Sometimes the vessel goes down because of weather.

There can also be medical emergencies onboard that can be deadly unless the people are found quickly.

“While St. Bernard Parish is a paradise for those who like to boat in cold weather for fishing or hunting it calls for planning in advance, including taking precautions for emergencies and being aware of the effects of winds on tides,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said.

“Don’t get caught out on the water in cold conditions without being prepared for an emergency or it could cost you your life or someone dear to you,’’ the sheriff said.

He said people who boat in cold weather must, before they leave, tell someone specifically where they will head out to and when they will be back.

And they must carry fully-charged cell phones, signaling devices, extra dry clothing or blankets, food and liquids, the sheriff said. Bringing something to start a fire with in case a boater gets stranded in the marsh on a cold night could also save someone’s life, he said.

Also, if a boat is sinking and passengers have to swim for a marsh area it would be essential to have something waterproof to keep extra clothing, your cell phone and flares in or cold weather could be unbearable or even deadly.

The members of the Marine Division, its commander Capt. Brian Clark and Sgt. Shane Lulei, are the ones who go out to find and rescue people who are lost or having problems on the water. They often work with the Coast Guard, state Wildlife and Fisheries agents and the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office to help boaters.

“It’s all about planning’’ when cold weather arrives, said Clark, a 25-year veteran of the state Wildlife and Fisheries Department before taking over the post in St. Bernard.

Clark’s advice: “You have to pay attention to the weather and check equipment’’ before you leave in a boat.

“You want to look at forecasts for anything involving expected winds from the West, Northwest, Southwest or North,’’ Clark said. “Be prepared for cold fronts with winds causing rapid tide drop’’ that drain the marshes. “You can expect a 1-4 foot drop in heavy winds.’’

Because people who boat often try to fit it in around their work schedules they sometimes don’t take time to check on expected weather changes, Clark said, and can get caught in bad situations. “They may try to get out on the water when they can’’ and not see if weather or wind changes are coming, he said.

Lulei said the Sheriff’s Office’s airboats or its 22-foot and 24-foot boats are used for search and rescues, including going into low water marsh situations.

Those heading out by boat should follow simple precautions:

 

• Tell people where you are going and when you are expected back and try not to deviate in case a search is required.
• Have the right safety gear aboard including a wearable flotation device for each person in case the vessel capsizes or someone is thrown overboard.
• Carry at least one flotation device that can be thrown to someone who falls into water and always use that instead of jumping in after them. In a panicked state, a person suddenly in the water can bring someone down with them.
• Always have a signaling device such as a flare or at least a working flashlight. A push pole is good to carry in case you need to try to get off a mud flat.
• Carry a fully-charged cell phone and pay attention to surroundings so you can accurately describe where you are. If possible, carry a device to re-charge a boat battery if needed.
• Dress warmly and bring liquids and food as well as blankets or extra dry clothing, and always have something that can be used to start a fire in the marsh to provide heat if necessary overnight.
• Have something waterproof to carry clothes, cell phone and flares in case the boat is capsized.

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Chalmette special education teacher booked with indecent behavior with a juvenile over emails and texts sent to a teen-ager who was formerly a student of his but is now living in Tennessee

A St. Bernard Parish prisoner escaped a work detail outside the Parish Prison the night of Dec. 31, then later stole a truck in Chalmette and ditched it in Slidell before he was caught outside a Slidell residence Sunday night, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.A special education teacher at a Chalmette elementary school has been booked with indecent behavior with a juvenile, a felony, over emails and texts he has been exchanging with a teen-ager who was formerly a student of his but is now living in Tennessee, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

David C. Kimberly, 59, 2317 Gen. Pershing St., New Orleans, was booked Thursday night into the St. Bernard Parish Prison after an interview with Sheriff’s Office detectives. He is being held pending his appearance before a magistrate judge on Monday to have bond set.

Kimberly has been teaching in St. Bernard Parish since 2012 and is assigned to Lacoste Elementary School in Chalmette, where he teaches about 15 special education students, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

He said St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office detectives began an investigation of Kimberly after being contacted by authorities in a Tennessee town, who said a woman living there had filed a complaint after finding inappropriate emails on her juvenile son’s computer from a former teacher.

The teacher had set up an email account under a fake name, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

Kimberly, who taught the boy several years ago, had been exchanging emails and texts with the teen-ager as recently as early December last year, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

Kimberly agreed to be interviewed by sheriff’s detectives on Thursday, the sheriff said, and acknowledged the correspondence. The teacher denied having had any physical relationship with the teen or sending any such correspondence to other current or former students.

But Kimberly was booked with indecent behavior with a juvenile because of the content of emails between him and the former student, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

An investigation is continuing, the sheriff said.

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Arabi man wounded by falling bullet while watching fireworks in front of his door at midnight on New Year’s Eve; he had surgery to have bullet removed from torso;

An Arabi man was wounded by a falling bullet while watching fireworks in front of his door at midnight on New Year’s Eve but is out of a hospital after surgery to remove the projectile, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

The 54-year-old victim, whose name wasn’t released, had just stepped outside his home in the 1800 block of Schnell Drive with his wife to watch neighborhood fireworks at midnight on New Year’s Eve when he felt pain in the lower torso, the sheriff said.

When he went inside to examine what hit him he was bleeding heavily and his wife drove him to St. Bernard Parish Hospital.

An X-ray revealed a projectile lodged in him and he was transferred to University Hospital in New Orleans for surgery, where a bullet was removed, the sheriff said.

There are no suspects in the shooting but anyone with information on the shooter should call the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office at (504) 271-2501 or Crimestoppers at (504) 822-1111.

“Lae enforcement has repeatedly stressed the danger of shooting weapons in the air to celebrate the New Year,’’ Sheriff James Pohlmann said. “Here is proof of what can happen – a man wounded while standing outside his door. This could have been a fatality we are talking about and I hope people learn something from this.’’

There were reports of at least one person seen shooting a handgun in Arabi at midnight New Year’s Eve and three casings were recovered in a lot in the 1800 block of Center Street, Sheriff Pohlmann said. But they didn’t match the caliber of the bullet recovered from the victim, he said.

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New Orleans Police arrest Violet man wanted in St. Bernard for attempted murder for a Dec. 16 shooting in Violet in which a man suffered a minor leg injury

New Orleans Police have arrested a Violet man wanted in St. Bernard Parish for attempted murder for a Dec. 16 shooting in Violet in which a man suffered a minor leg injury, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

The sheriff said Edward Charles Henry, who made 22 on New Year’s Day, was arrested Friday night in the French Quarter and is now in the St. Bernard Parish Prison, being held without bond pending an appearance before a judge.

Henry was spotted at the intersection of St. Louis and Bourbon streets and taken into custody.

St. Bernard Parish sheriff’s detectives had obtained warrants for Henry’s arrest from a judge after he was a suspect in the shooting of Darius Taylor, 17, who suffered a graze wound to the right leg in a Dec. 16 incident in the 2800 block of Daniel Drive in Violet, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

Henry was wanted for four counts of attempted murder in that incident after he fired several shots at Taylor and in the direction of a parked car in which three women were inside. No one but Taylor was injured and he was treated and released from a hospital, the sheriff said.

Henry was also wanted on arrest warrants charging criminal damage to property and marijuana possession.

The incident on Daniel Drive began with several women arguing and Taylor had gotten out of an auto to confront Henry, who responded by firing several shots, the sheriff said.

Sheriff’s detectives had been looking for Henry and earlier this week got information he might be at a residence in eastern New Orleans.

With the help of New Orleans police, Sheriff Pohlmann said, detectives went to the residence and didn’t find Henry but recovered a .22-caliber handgun believed to have been used in the Dec. 16 shooting.

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St. Bernard Parish prisoner escaped a work detail and later stole a truck in Chalmette which he ditched in Slidell, but was caught Sunday night outside a Slidell residence

A St. Bernard Parish prisoner escaped a work detail outside the Parish Prison the night of Dec. 31, then later stole a truck in Chalmette and ditched it in Slidell before he was caught outside a Slidell residence Sunday night, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Shawn Landry, 18, of Bogalusa, serving one year for a non- violent offense and had the status of a trusty prisoner, ran from a corrections officer about 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 31 while taking garbage outside the prison, Sheriff Pohlmann said

It is believed Landry, who was arrested last August for possession of a vehicle stolen in St. Tammany Parish, after his escape burglarized a car in Chalmette about 1 a. m. Jan. 1 and found keys to a truck parked at the same location.

Landry then allegedly stole the truck, which was found abandoned about 6 a. m. Jan. 1 on Highway 11 in Slidell, the sheriff said.

But agter a day-long effort to find him, Landry was captured about 7 p.m. outside a residence in Slidell by officers from the St. Bernard and St. Tammany sheriff’s offices, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

He was being held in St. tammany as a fugitive from St. Bernard.

Landry, who pleaded guilty Dec. 7 to unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and was sentenced to one year, still faced a stolen auto charge in St. Tammany when released from St. Bernard.

Now, he faces additional charges in St. Bernard Parish of escape from the prison, burglary and vehicle theft, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

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