New Iberia Man Arrested After Blocking Roadway

(KPEL) -- A New Iberia man has been arrested after police say he was walking in the middle of the street.

Iberia Parish Sheriff Louis Ackal says deputies were patrolling near Silver and Mink Streets when they noticed 23-year-old Travis Charles walking in the middle of the road, blocking at least two vehicles from passing.

"According to deputies," Louis says, "they were concerned for the individual’s safety and attempted to question the individual as to why was he was in the roadway and obstructing traffic."

Ackal says when deputies tried to approach Charles, he told officers he wasn't going to jail and ran away from them. Charles became combative, Ackal says, and when they tried to arrest him, officers were confronted by a group of 15 to 20 people. Ackal says the group threatened the officers.

Charles was eventually arrested and booked into the Iberia Parish Jail and charged with blocking a public road.