Leonard Gray / L’Observateur / July 1, 1998

LAPLACE – Violence dominated weekend activities for the St. JohnSheriff’s Office. Among others, deputies also made arrests in threerobberies and four incidents of personal violence.

Solomon Knox, 20, 352 Plantation Road, Kenner, was charged with simple robbery and simple battery after he allegedly snatched a purse Friday afternoon in front of the LaPlace Dollar Cinema.

Lt. Michael Tregre said a robber grabbed the purse and hit the victim onthe head before escaping in a yellow station wagon. An all-points-bulletinwas heard by Kenner Police Department, which spotted a suspect car on Interstate 10. The car was followed into Kenner and the arrest made.In another incident, Herbert E. Johnson Jr., 29, 176 Joe Parquet Circle,LaPlace, was charged with simple battery, domestic violence, simple criminal damage to property, simple escape and three counts resisting an officer by violence.

Tregre said deputies were called out to the scene of a disturbance just after midnight Sunday morning. The alleged victim told deputies she waspunched in the face by her former boyfriend, who was still on the scene.

Deputies placed him, with difficulty, in a police car. Johnson then brokeout a window and climbed out, only to be quickly re-captured.

Jerrold Eugene Rodgers, 35, and Edna Rodgers, 44, both of 440 Birch St.,LaPlace, were each arrested Sunday afternoon following a disturbance in which deputies arrived to find them shouting at each other in their yard, struggling over a shovel. She claimed he threatened her, jamming ahandgun in her face.

She submitted to arrest but he violently resisted, threatening deputies with a baseball bat. Deputies drew their weapons and, after spraying himwith Mace, took him into custody.

She was charged with domestic violence and aggravated battery. He wascharged with domestic violence, aggravated assault, aggravated battery, disturbing the peace by cursing, illegal use of weapons first offense, aggravated assault with a firearm and four counts resisting an officer by violence.

Charles Vanderford, 35, 175 Clement St., New Sarpy, was charged withsimple assault, simple battery, domestic violence, simple criminal damage to property and intentional exposure to the AIDS virus.

Tregre reported that Vanderford had an argument with a woman on Sunday and tried to force her to take money from her bank account for him, threatening her and her family. He was soon located walking along AirlineHighway. He was taken into custody but damaged the police car and,claiming to have AIDS, spat blood at officers.

Finally, a clerk making a business night deposit at the Hibernia Bank Main Street branch was confronted by a black male, 6 feet in height and weighing 180 pounds, wearing a black shirt, green shorts and white shoes.

The female clerk ran but the man shouted at her to drop the money as he chased her. She threw the money behind her and ran to safety.

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