Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement agents arrested a Pierre Part man for alleged firearm violations and operating a vessel while impaired on April 16 in St. Martin Parish.
Agents arrested Dwayne Hebert, 47, for operating or driving a vessel while impaired (DWI), illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, failing to possess the required amount of personal flotation devices (PFD) and failing to wear a cutoff lanyard.
Agents were on patrol on East Grande Lake when they observed Hebert operating a hand tiller steered outboard vessel. Agents stopped the vessel for a boating safety inspection and found that Hebert did not possess any personal flotation devices, failed to wear his cutoff lanyard and possessed a .380 pistol.
During the inspection, agents also determined that Hebert was impaired and was a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Agents arrested him and booked him into the St. Martin Parish Jail.
Anyone cited for a DWI on the water or on the road will lose his or her driver’s license and boating privileges for the specified time ordered by the judge in the case. Also, each offense of operating a vehicle or vessel while intoxicated counts toward the total number of DWI crimes whether they happened on the water or road.
Illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon carries a $1,000 to $5,000 fine and 10 to 20 years of jail. First offense DWI carries a $300 to $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail. Failing to possess the required amount of PFDs and failing to wear cutoff lanyard brings up to a $50 fine for each offense.