The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Enforcement Division, working alongside the United States Coast Guard (USCG) and Louisiana State Police (LSP), arrested 13 boat operators statewide for alleged Driving or Operating a Vessel While Intoxicated (DWI) during the annual Operation Dry Water campaign held July 3-5.
In addition to the arrests, LDWF agents investigated four non-fatal boating incidents during the holiday enforcement period.
July 3 DWI Arrests
Maddox Moncla, 20, of Lafayette – False River, Pointe Coupee Parish
Raymond Schneller, 47, of Baton Rouge – Diversion Canal, Livingston Parish
Dyllon Lindsey, 34, of Baton Rouge – Amite River, Livingston Parish
Hayden D. Navarre, 20, of Mamou – Toledo Bend, Sabine Parish
Chad M. Willis, 52, of Mamou – Toledo Bend, Sabine Parish
Peyton J. Sinclair, 18, of Deville – Larto Lake, Catahoula Parish
July 4 DWI Arrests
Dylan Inzina, 20, of Franklin – Atchafalaya River, St. Martin Parish
Samuel G. Dagostino Jr., 43, of Baton Rouge – False River, Pointe Coupee Parish
Aaron Meyers, 21, of Plaquemine – Bayou Plaquemine, Iberville Parish
Nicholas Parton, 46, of Carencro – Henderson Lake, St. Martin Parish
Hesley Forthman, 23, of Arkadelphia, Arkansas – Tickfaw River, Livingston Parish
Brandon Victory, 34, of El Dorado, Arkansas – Lake Claiborne, Claiborne Parish
Dylan Nunez, 34, of Kaplan – Indian Creek, Rapides Parish
Louisiana law treats boating while intoxicated the same as driving a vehicle while intoxicated. Anyone convicted of a DWI on the water or the roadway can lose both their driver’s license and boating privileges for the period ordered by the court. DWI offenses committed in either a boat or a vehicle also count toward a person’s total DWI history.
A first-offense DWI in Louisiana carries penalties that include a $300 to $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail.
Additional boating violations can also carry significant penalties. Hit-and-run involving a vessel, when no serious injuries or fatalities occur, is punishable by a fine of up to $500 and 10 days to six months in jail. Reckless operation of a vessel is punishable by a fine of up to $200 and up to 90 days in jail.
LDWF reminds boaters to always designate a sober operator, wear life jackets, and make safety a priority while enjoying Louisiana’s waterways.
