In support of Operation Dry Water and in partnership with the United States Coast Guard (USCG) and Louisiana State Police (LSP), the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Enforcement Division arrested 19 boaters statewide for alleged driving or operating a vessel while intoxicated (DWI) from July 4 to July 6 as part of the National Association of State Boating Law Administrator’s Operation Dry Water campaign.

“We are proud of the hard work our agents put forth during Operation Dry Water weekend. Our Enforcement Division will continue to focus on the safety of our boaters by removing impaired drivers from the water,” said LDWF Secretary Tyler Bosworth. “We are also thankful for USCG and LSP for their continued support for boating safety in Louisiana.”

On July 4, agents arrested the following for DWI:

Neal J. Duval, 48, of Morgan City, on Lake Palourde in St. Martin Parish.
Garrett C. Amadore, 27, of Lumberton, Texas, on Bayou Ramos in St. Mary Parish.
Darrell P. Borne, 43, of Belle Rose, on Lake Verret in Assumption Parish.
Michael H. Mclendon, 35, of Homer, on Lake Claiborne in Claiborne Parish.
Collin Copponex, 22, of Prairieville, on the Blind River in Livingston Parish.
James Norman, 32, of Ponchatoula, on the Tickfaw River in Livingston Parish.
Kacy Burke, 37, of Seward, Ark., on the Tchefuncte River in St. Tammany Parish.
Dylan Trahan, 30, of Gueydan, on the Mermentau River in Jefferson Davis Parish.

On July 5, agents arrested the following for DWI:

Rhett L. Ducote, 36, of Hessmer, on Larto Lake in Catahoula Parish.
Patrick J. Marcantel, 48, of St. Amant on Lake Palourde in St. Martin Parish.
Joshua D. Boaz, 38, of Grand Saline, Texas, on Four Mile Bayou in St. Martin Parish.
Peyton Wafer, 22, of Dubberly, on Lake Bisteneau in Webster Parish.
Lance Whittington, 25, of Hammond, on the Tickfaw River in Livingston Parish.
James Jones, 42, of Central, on the Tickfaw River in Livingston Parish.

On July 6, agents arrested the following for DWI:

Christopher Parodi, 34, of Belle Chasse, on Myrtle Grove Canal in Plaquemines Parish.
Ryan Swilley, 27, of Denham Springs, on the Tickfaw River in Livingston Parish.
Tristan M. Guidry, 29, of Coral Springs, Florida, in Henderson Bay in St. Martin Parish.

In addition to the DWI arrests, LDWF agents also worked and investigated seven non-fatal boating crash incidents from July 4 to 6, with DWI being alleged in two of them.

On July 4 in Assumption Parish, agents arrested Sean P. Blanchard, 40, of White Castle, for DWI, reckless operation of a vessel, hit and run and operating a vessel while under license suspension. Blanchard was operating a vessel on Lake Verret when he struck a dock and fled the scene. Agents found Blanchard operating the vessel shortly thereafter and deemed he was impaired. Blanchard needed medical treatment for his injuries.

In St. Martin Parish on July 4, agents arrested Randall S. Myers, 53, of Morgan City, for DWI and reckless operation of a vessel. Myers was operating a vessel in Bayou Long when he lost control of his vessel, which ejected himself and his passenger into the water. The vessel then ramped up a barge coming to rest on top of the barge. Agents responded to the scene and deemed that Myers was impaired at the time of the incident. No injuries were reported for this incident.

In Calcasieu Parish on July 4, a 14-foot vessel with three people on board capsized in the Ship Channel. The occupants of the vessel were all wearing personal flotation devices and were rescued by the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office. Their vessel was also recovered from the water.

Also in Calcasieu on July 4, two vessels collided in a bend in the Calcasieu River ejecting two people into the water including the operator of one of the vessels who was wearing his engine cutoff switch. Everyone was recovered from the water, and no one was injured in this boating crash incident.

On July 4 in Ascension Parish, a personal watercraft was towing two people on the Blind River when it hit a wake, which ejected the two people being towed into the water. The tow rope then wrapped around the ankle of one of the people ejected into the water. A Good Samaritan observed the incident and was able to retrieve the people from the water. The person with the injured ankle was airlifted to Our Lady of the Lake Hospital in Baton Rouge.

In Ouachita Parish on July 4, a boat was heading up river on the Ouachita River with six people on board when they struck a fixed object in the water that punctured the hull of the vessel. One person needed medical treatment following this incident.

In Jackson Parish on July 5, a bay boat accidentally backed into a parked pontoon boat at the Ebenezer Boat Launch on Caney Lake. No injuries were reported for this incident.

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.

In Louisiana a DWI can be issued to anyone operating a moving vessel or vehicle while impaired. First offense DWI carries a $300 to $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail.

Hit and run without fatalities or serious injuries carries up to a $500 fine and 10 days to six months in jail. Reckless operation of a vessel brings up to a $200 fine and 90 days in jail.

Operation Dry Water was started in 2009 by NASBLA and LDWF has been a participant every year since its inception. More information is available at www.operationdrywater.org.