The lure of the Tickfaw 200 Poker Run, a high-speed jaunt through Louisiana's waterways, netted more than just poker chips this year; it also snagged eight individuals on charges of DWI, painting a sobering portrait of boating safety during the two-day event that took place on May 2 and 3. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), alongside the Louisiana State Police (LSP), were the agencies laying down the law, according to a report published by the LDWF.
The joint patrols spanning several crowded waterways sought to stem the tide of increased vessel traffic and the assorted risks it carried, an intervention that on May 2 saw Wallace Wolfe, 54, of Gonzales, Todd Bourgeois, 38, of Paulina, and Dustin Miller, 24, of Franklinton, facing accusations of operating or driving a vessel while impaired (DWI) on different segments of the river systems; Brandon Lecompte, 43, of Youngsville, found himself in parallel straits on the Tickfaw River, and the quest for public safety on the water continued into the next day, resulting in further arrests.
Agents remained vigilant into May 3, arresting Chase Hebert, 30, of Prairieville, for his second-offense DWI on the Blind River, demonstrating a relentless drive to maintain order despite the celebratory atmosphere. The festivities on the Tickfaw River also led to DWI arrests of Courtland Ray, 31, of Livingston, Joseph Bardzilowski, 58, of South Dakota, and Stephen Holland, 29, of Kentwood, for DWI on the Tickfaw River.
Adding to the weekend's incidents, Blake O. Comardelle, 31, of Maurice, faced citations for careless operation of a vessel after becoming involved in a boating incident on May 2 on the Tickfaw River, which left him and his passenger with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. Louisiana law is clear: those cited for a DWI on the water or road stand to lose their driver's license and boating privileges for a term determined by a judge.
The costs of DWI in Louisiana are steep, with the first offense fetching a fine between $300 to $1,000 and up to six months imprisonment, while a second offense could mean a $750 to $1,000 fine and a jail time ranging from 30 days to six months, and those cited for careless operation of a watercraft risk up to a $300 fine plus 30 days behind bars.
