By ROBIN SHANNON
Staff Reporter

LAPLACE – A Reserve man wanted in connection with a shooting on East 22nd Street last month was apprehended Wednesday after a brief brawl with an officer involving a loaded weapon, said a spokesperson for the St. John Sheriff’s Office.

Maj. Mike Tregre, public information officer for the Sheriff’s Office, said the arrest occurred just before 11 a.m. in the 2200 block of LA 44 near Cargill Inc. He said a deputy responding to a tip pulled over a two-door Honda Civic and spotted 20-year-old Kentrell Hayes in the back seat. Tregre said Hayes is accused of firing multiple gunshots at a man sitting in a vehicle in the 100 block of East 22nd Street in Reserve on Dec. 21. The man was able to escape the scene without injury and identified Hayes as the gunman.

Tregre said the deputy, Jarret Vicknair, approached the vehicle and attempted to arrest Hayes when the struggle ensued. Tregre said Hayes reached for a 9 mm handgun hidden in the waistband of his pants and pointed it at Vicknair. Vicknair grabbed the gun and held on trying to remove it from Hayes’ grasp.

(See SHOOT, pg. 3A)

A report on the incident states that Hayes then kicked Vicknair in the face, breaking his nose. Hayes also bit Vicknair on the temple, causing a deep gash. Vicknair was able to maintain a hold on Hayes and was finally able to subdue him with help from a pair of Cargill employees, who witnessed the scuffle. The report said the men restrained Hayes until additional deputies arrived.

Tregre said Vicknair, a 19-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office, was transported to River Parishes Hospital in LaPlace. He was treated for his injuries and released.

Tregre said the gun used in the attack on Vicknair had an extended clip and was capable of holding up to 30 rounds of ammunition, but it was unclear how many bullets were in the gun at the time of the struggle.

Hayes, whose address is listed at 1740 Creole St., was booked with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated criminal damage to property in connection with the Dec. 21 incident and also booked with resisting an officer, battery of an officer and attempted first-degree murder for the scuffle with the deputy. Tregre said Hayes in being held at the Sherman Walker Correctional Facility in Reserve in lieu of $454,000 bond.

In an unrelated investigation, Tregre said St. John Sheriff’s deputies are still looking for a Maurepas man, who is accused of killing a 27-year-old Reserve woman during a failed robbery attempt.

Tregre said deputies are trying to track down Calvin Mitchell, 22, of 19231 LA Hwy. 22, Maurepas. Mitchell was identified out of a six-man lineup as the man who shot and killed Nakesha Nichelle Joseph during an attempted armed robbery on Dec. 30.

According to a report on the robbery, Joseph and 36-year-old Ron James of Garyville were sitting in James’ grey Buick sedan along East 24th Street in Reserve when two men approached and yelled, “Give it up!”

The report states that James slammed on the car’s accelerator in an attempt to flee the scene, but as the car sped off, the alleged robbers opened fire on the vehicle. Tregre said both sides of the car were peppered with bullet holes. Joseph was hit 12 times and suffered fatal injuries. James, who sustained a gunshot wound to the leg, alerted authorities just minutes after the shooting. He was treated and released from River Parishes Hospital following the incident.

Tregre said Mitchell, who has family ties to the St. John Parish area, should be considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office at 985-652-6338.