By ROBIN SHANNON

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE – St. John deputies arrested a LaPlace man for his fourth DWI offense after he was involved in a hit and run accident in LaPlace, said a spokesman for the department.

Maj. Mike Tregre, public information officer for the St. John Sheriff’s Office, said James R. Hyde, 39, 109 Oak Point Ct., LaPlace, was taken into custody May 17 and booked with felony DWI, hit and run, and expired drivers license. Hyde was transported to the Sherman Walker Correctional Facility, where he is being held on $100,700 bond.

Tregre said around 2:30 p.m. Saturday, deputies were called to the scene of a hit and run accident, involving Hyde and an unknown victim, which occurred in the 100 block of LA 3217.

According to the report on the accident, the victim reported to deputies that while he was traveling northbound on LA 3217, his white Ford F250 was struck by a vehicle, driven by Hyde, heading toward River Road. Hyde proceeded down River Road, turned left at Cardinal Drive, and then headed down W 2nd Street, before police caught up to his vehicle near the intersection of Phoenix Lane. Hyde was arrested on site.

According to Louisiana law, a fourth offense DWI carries a mandatory fine of $5,000, and anywhere from 10 to 30 years in jail. The offender’s vehicle will also be seized at the time of arrest, and sold, with the proceeds forfeited to the state.

Tregre said this is the second time in less than a month that Hyde was arrested in St. John Parish for DWI. He said that Hyde was pulled over on April 27, just two weeks prior to the most recent arrest, near Holmes Food Market on Airline Highway in LaPlace for reckless driving. He was released three days later, after posting 10 percent of his $53,000 bond.