By LEONARD GRAY

LAPLACE – Two separate obscenity incidents resulted in two arrests in recent days in LaPlace.

The first, on June 26, happened in front of a business on Belle Terre Boulevard, where two women were the victims of a man exposing himself to passersby.

When deputies arrived, they arrested Blaine Dennison, 21, of 280 Homewood Place, Reserve, and charged him with obscenity.

The second, on June 28, happened on Interstate 10, where a 42-year-old LaPlace woman, driving with her 13-year-old daughter, were followed from Sorrento by a man driving a black Ford F-150 pickup truck. The woman sped up to escape the follower, but the man kept pace all the way to the three-mile bridge, just before the Belle Terre Boulevard exit from the interstate.

There, as the vehicles were traveling at an estimated 85-mph, the man exposed himself to the two females. Deputies soon apprehended Kurt J. Gaudet, 33, of 121 Sportsman Drive, Belle Rose, and charged him with obscenity.

In other recent incidents, Patrick Buckhalter, 30, of 509 Hancock Drive, LaPlace, was arrested on June 27 after he allegedly pulled a pistol on his ex-girlfriend and struck her in the head with it. He then fired the pistol into the air. A Ruger 9mm handgun was reportedly recovered by deputies.

Buckhalter was charged with aggravated battery, illegal use of weapons and domestic violence.

On June 26, Lorraine J. Williams, 73, and Jeffery Jones, 32, both of 126 Sweet Lorraine Drive, Reserve, were both charged with second-degree battery, based on sworn statements to Justice of the Peace Diane Jacob.

The May 25 incident, in which the pair allegedly beat up a 54-year-old Reserve man, allegedly put the victim in River Parishes Hospital for two and a half weeks.

Bonds of $5,000 were placed on the pair and both have since been released.

On June 24, Michael A. Rixner, 23, of 143 Historic West St., Garyville, was charged with attempted second-degree murder, resisting an officer by violence and resisting an officer by refusing ID.

This was based on a May 27 incident, to which deputies responded to a shooting on E. 13th Street in Reserve.

Terrance Jacob, 23, of Homewood Place, Reserve, had been walking along the street when a blue vehicle drove alongside him and a passenger in the victim opened fire. Jacob received wounds to his upper right chest and right arm. He received treatment at River Parishes Hospital and has since been released.

On June 24, a woman called the sheriff’s office to report the theft of her karaoke machine. A deputy who responded searched the area and picked up Brandon Michael Duhe, 20, of 1609 N. Sugar Ridge Drive, in LaPlace.

The woman did not identify Duhe as the thief, but a computer check turned up an active warrant on Duhe for aggravated second-degree battery. That April 12 charge alleged Duhe slammed a man into the street at River Road and E. 21st Street in Reserve. The alleged victim became unconscious and awoke some time later at River Parishes Hospital.

Finally, on June 25, Whelman Staggers Sr., 63, of 1045 Gemini St., Reserve, was charged with aggravated second-degree battery, disturbing the peace by fighting and domestic violence after he allegedly hit his wife with a thrown porcelain plate, causing a wound requiring 18 stitches.