An early-morning patrol in LaPlace turned into a burglary bust Friday last week when a St. John the Baptist Parish deputy interrupted an alleged break-in at an unoccupied home, detaining two teenage suspects after spotting a pickup truck in the driveway.
According to a press release from the St. John Parish Sheriff's Office, the deputy was driving through the 300 block of Elmwood Drive when he noticed a pickup at a house he knew was vacant. A short time later, he located the same truck about a block away, saw two males walk into the residence, then pulled back into the driveway, switched on his emergency blue lights and ordered them to come out.
Suspects Identified and Confirmed
The sheriff’s office named one suspect as Antonio Dominguez, 17, of Reserve, and described the second as a 16-year-old juvenile, according to a St John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office's Facebook post. An attached transcript on the sheriff’s post reminds readers that “All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.”
Both teens were booked with simple burglary of an immovable structure, according to WDSU.
Parish Crime Context
The arrests land in the middle of a mixed crime picture for St. John the Baptist Parish: overall crime dipped in 2025, though some categories ticked up, according to L'Observateur. Sheriff Mike Tregre told the paper that patrols and community tips have helped drive those modest declines, and deputies say visible, proactive policing can set the stage for quick arrests like Friday’s.
How to Report Tips
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the St. John Parish Sheriff's Office tip line at (985) 652-9513 or submit a tip through the St. John Parish Sheriff's Office website. The agency’s press release notes that the investigation remains active as deputies review the circumstances and consider whether additional charges are warranted.
Legal Note
An image included with the St John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office's Facebook post repeats the reminder that all persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty, as the transcript indicates. Because one suspect is a juvenile, parts of the case and related records may be handled differently under juvenile-court procedures.
