LaPlace man faces charges in stabbing

Published 12:00 am Thursday, December 1, 2005

By MOLLY DRYMAN 

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE — A LaPlace resident was arrested in Marrero Sunday morning after a severe outrage of stabbing a Marrero man and physically harming two police officers.

 Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office received a call at 4:21 a.m. at their 911 center claiming a person had been stabbed in the 500 block of Lester Street in Marrero. According to spokesman Col. John Fortunato with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the victim was 47-year-old Berkman Anderson.

 Anderson suffered multiple stab wounds, and was transported to West Jefferson Medical Center. &#8220According to medical personnel at West Jefferson, Anderson’s injuries were not life threatening,” Fortunato said.

Preliminary investigation by JPSO revealed that Anderson was stopped in front of 528 Lester Street dropping off an acquaintance, along with a second person who was sitting in the back seat of Anderson’s vehicle. The front seat passenger was identified as Claude R. Ford III, 22 of LaPlace.

&#8220Fort asked Anderson for a ride to LaPlace,” Fortunato said. &#8220Anderson reported he told Ford he would not be able to take him to LaPlace, and Anderson claims at that point Ford began stabbing him repeatedly in the neck and back. Anderson managed to jump from his 1995 Oldsmobile, Cutlass, and Ford got behind the wheel of the Oldsmobile and sped away.”

Information was reported to the 911 center of Ford reportedly driving erratically. Units responded to the area the vehicle was spotted near a checkpoint being manned by Officer Mark Layrisson, according to Fortunato.

&#8220As the suspect vehicle approached Layrisson, he accelerated towards him,” Fortunato said. &#8220Layrisson managed to push himself away from Ford’s vehicle, thus initiating a pursuit as he sped through the checkpoint.”

Fortunato said after a short pursuit, Ford lost control of the vehicle and struck a tree.

&#8220As Ford was being removed from his vehicle he became very combative,” Fortunato said. &#8220Ford bit Officer Matt Vasquez on the palm of his right hand”

Vasquez was treated at the scene and released. Ford was arrested and taken to the JPSO Correctional Center, and charged with attempted murder of a police officer, aggravated battery, armed robbery, aggravated battery of a police officer, along with resisting arrest by flight.