Louisiana's waterways witnessed another clash of law and irresponsibility when Dwayne Hebert, a 47-year-old man from Pierre Part, found himself in custody for a slew of charges, including weapon and boating violations. According to an official release by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), Hebert was arrested on April 16 in St. Martin Parish after being stopped for a routine boating safety inspection that took a turn for the worse revealing more than just safety infractions.
The encounter unfolded on East Grande Lake where LDWF agents, Lt. Scott Dupre and Agent Savannah Lavergne, were patrolling, upon observing Hebert's hand tiller-steered outboard vessel a subsequent stop led to the discovery of several violations: Hebert was operating without the necessary personal flotation devices and was not wearing a cutoff lanyard, which is critical for safety on the water and became evident that he was also under the influence, thus impairing his ability to operate the vessel safely. During the inspection, it emerged that Hebert was a convicted felon unlawfully in possession of a .380 pistol.
Facing multiple charges, Hebert's transgressions include operating or driving a vessel while impaired (DWI), and illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon both of these offenses come with severe penalties in Louisiana. As stated by the LDWF, a conviction for illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon could entail a fine ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 and a 10 to 20-year jail sentence, while a first offense DWI could set an offender back by $300 to $1,000 in fines and up to six months imprisonment. Lesser, yet not insignificant charges for the absence of personal flotation devices and failing to wear a cutoff lanyard may incur up to a $50 fine for each offense.
Post-arrest, Hebert was booked into the St. Martin Parish Jail his presence there a testament to the unrelenting efforts by authorities to enforce the law on Louisiana waters. The LDWF reminds boaters that a DWI offense incurs the loss of both driving and boating privileges for a period determined by the presiding judge each DWI, irrespective of whether it occurred on the water or road, counts toward an individual's tally of offenses under Louisiana’s determined pursuit to ensure safety and abide by the law.
