By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – Authorities in St. John the Baptist Parish arrested three Reserve men on dog fighting charges after animal control officers witnessed a fight near Homewood Place Monday morning.

Capt. Dane Clement, public information officer for the Sheriff’s Office, said the animal control officers were investigating an unrelated incident in the 300 block of Homewood Place around 10:10 a.m. when they heard dogs barking behind houses on the street. He said the officer witnessed four men fighting dogs in a wooded area just off the street and called police.

“The arriving deputies encountered three of the subjects, who were attempting to leave the area, Clement said. “The fourth subject had entered a residence and later left the scene in a car with a dog.” 

Clement said as the suspect backed the car out of the residence to leave, the car struck the animal control officer in the knee. He was not seriously injured.

The suspect was able to elude deputies when he ditched the car and fled on foot leaving the dog in the car, Clement said.

He said Animal Control took possession of the two dogs in the fight, as well as the third dog in the car. According to animal control, all three dogs were euthanized.

Authorities arrested Carl Johnson Jr., 25, of 267 Melius Drive, Larcain Arlene, 28, of 357 Homewood Place and Michael Rixner, 31, of Reserve. All three were charged with one count of dog fighting.

Johnson, the owner of one of the dogs in the fight, was released from the Sherman Walker Correctional Facility in LaPlace Tuesday after posting 10 percent of a $7,500 bond. Arlene, a spectator, was released Monday after posting $275 bail. No bond information was available for Rixner, who was picked up on a separate warrant.

Clement said authorities have issued an arrest warrant for the the fourth man, Brandon Roy, 26, of East 14th Street in Reserve.

He is wanted on charges of dog fighting, aggravated battery, aggravated flight from an officer and resisting arrest.

Roy had not been taken into custody as of press time.