Catahoula Man Takes Dip In Bayou, Arrested On Vehicle Theft Charges

A Catahoula man who allegedly stole a car and then broke into a home in St. Martin Parish is in the St. Martin Parish Correctional Center, but not before taking a dive into an area bayou first.

According to Maj. Ginny Higgins with the sheriff's office, deputies were called out early Friday morning to a report of a stolen vehicle off of JB Highway.

While deputies were still looking for the suspect, Higgins said a second call, this one of a home break in on Bayou Mercier Road, was reported to the sheriff's office. The homeowners told police that when they tried to approach the suspect, he attempted to run away by jumping into the bayou.

Deputies were able to retrieve the suspect, 30-year-old Joseph Richard, and he was arrested and charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling, and resisting arrest.

The stolen vehicle was found in a sugar cane field off of Bayou Mercier Road and returned to its owner.