ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / November 2, 1999

LAPLACE – Two Edgard men are under arrest and charged with the drive- by shooting of a motorist on Airline Highway Oct. 23.The shooting wounded one man seriously, and he remains in River Parishes Hospital.

St. John the Baptist Sheriff’s Office Chief Criminal Deputy Harold Klibertannounced Tuesday that Louis Johnson, 20, 346 Central Ave, Edgard, and Don Roussell, 19, 251 Central Ave., Edgard, were arrested Friday night. Both suspects confessed to the shooting and led police to the weapon, a Chinese-made SKS semi-automatic assault rifle.

Johnson has been charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder and has a $350,000 bond on him set by Judge Sterling Snowdy.

Roussell was charged with two counts of being a principal in an attempted first-degree murder and is under a $250,000 bond. Both suspects are inthe St. John Parish Jail.The victim and a female companion were returning from a party in Edgard when the shooting occurred. They had just crossed the Veterans MemorialBridge and were east-bound in the right lane on U.S. Highway 61. Justbefore the Garyville turnoff the suspects, who had been at the same party, allegedly pulled up next to the victim’s car and opened fire with the assault rifle. Six bullets hit the car, with two of them hitting the victimin the left side and left leg.

The suspect’s car fled the scene, and the victim was able to drive to Garyville where he phoned police for help.

Detective Sgt. Darryl Marchand, who is handling the case, said the victimis out of intensive care and has “helped the investigation.” Marchand saidthe female companion could not identify the shooters.

Klibert said the investigation is ongoing, and because of the sensitivity of the case he would not reveal the name of the victim or his companion nor would he say how deputies were able to find the suspects.

However, Klibert did say the motive for the shooting was “some sort of retaliation between the suspects and the victim.”Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to contact Marchand at 652-9513.

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