Police and Fire Briefs for August 25, 2008

• Advocate staff report
• Published: Aug 25, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

• Print
• Email
• Save
• Reprints
• Twitter
• Share

• Del.icio.us
• Digg
• Facebook
• Reddit
• 

Firefighters respond to workshop fire

A Sunday afternoon fire destroyed a workshop behind a house at 7820 Overland St., Fire Department spokesman Barry Mounce said in  a  news release.

Firefighters were called out to the blaze at 2:16 p.m. and had the fire under control by 2:44 p.m., Mounce said.

Investigators had not determined the exact cause of the fire Sunday afternoon, but suspected an unattended portable fan could have sparked it, Mounce said.

The workshop sustained an estimated $15,000 in damage, but the house next to it was not harmed, Mounce said.

The first fire truck on scene was from District 6, responding under a mutual aid agreement, Mounce said.

At least 10 people suspected of DWI

Authorities arrested at least 10 people suspected of driving while intoxicated in East Baton Rouge Parish and booked them into Parish Prison between 3 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday, booking records show.

Those booked and the counts against them:

• Johnny Smith, 51, 9751 El Scott Ave., first-offense DWI and obstruction of a highway.
• Melissa M. Fabre, 20, 5733 College Drive, first-offense DWI, failure to maintain control of a vehicle, expired inspection sticker, misrepresentation during booking and injuring  public record.
• Matthew John Farmer, 18, 19404 Lod Stafford Road, Walker, first-offense DWI with controlled dangerous substances, improper lane usage, driver’s license not in possession and possession of marijuana.
• Bradley Joseph Shaffer, 25, 213 Moss Lane, River Ridge, first-offense DWI and disobeying a red light.
• Kathleen E. Funck, 18, 1505 Papworth Ave., Metairie, first-offense DWI and reckless operation of a vehicle.
• Audrey Marianna Schwartzberg, 21, 3120 Plantation Key Drive, first-offense DWI, failure to maintain control of a vehicle and reckless operation of a vehicle.
• Christopher William Smith, 22, 303 Evergreen Drive, Mandeville, first-offense DWI, improper turns, improper lane usage and reckless operation of a vehicle.
• Alex Robert Brignac, 28, 16916 Ticonderoga Ave., second-offense DWI, driver’s license suspended or revoked and  one-way street violation.
• Kenneth Clifton Sollers II, 26, 505 Yorkshire St., Deer Park, Texas, first-offense DWI and improper lane usage.
• Taylor S. Slack, 23, 961 Thora Blvd., Shreveport, first-offense DWI, reckless operation of a vehicle and disobeying a red light.

Kenner teen killed in one-vehicle crash

CONVENT — A 17-year-old man was killed Friday when he ran off La. 44 after losing control of his 2002 Pontiac Grand Am and hitting a utility pole,  Louisiana State Police said.

Deshawn J. Smith, of Kenner, was hospitalized with serious injuries after authorities responded to the wreck south of La. 3214 about 8:30 a.m. and he died over the weekend, State Police said. Alcohol use is not suspected in the crash.