AMY SZPARA

RESERVE – A Reserve man was arrested Wednesday for allegedly intoxicating a 13-year-old girl with drugs and alcohol before having sex with her, according to police. Travis Vicknair, 19, 267 W. Seventh St., Reserve, was booked with carnal knowledge of a juvenile, after the girl’s mother went to a justice of the peace to file a complaint. According to Capt. Mike Tregre of the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office, Vicknair turned himself in to police after he learned of the warrant out for his arrest. “He was arrested before we could do a more thorough investigation, because the mother went to the justice of the peace. A further investigation is needed to see if it is valid, and that has not yet taken place,” said Tregre. The sheriff’s office executed the warrant, arrested Vicknair and later released him on $5,000 bond. A court date has been set, but according to Tregre, it boils down to “her word against his word.” If intercourse was consensual, the charge could be changed to statutory rape, but police have yet to interview the juvenile. At this point, the charges are based on the word of her mother. The mother told authorities Vicknair gave her daughter marijuana and alcohol Aug. 5, then had sex with her while she was under the influence of the substances. She said she notified police of the incident Aug. 8, after learning of it from another daughter, then filed charges. “I felt bad that I had to do this,” said the victim’s mother, whose name was not released to protect the victim. She said she filed charges with the justice of the peace because she was told that was what had to be done for Vicknair to be arrested. According to the mother, Vicknair was a friend of one of her other daughters. “He was somewhat close to the family. I couldn’t believe it happened,” she said. Tregre said a lot of factors have to be investigated in the alleged incident.