Paradis man sentenced to 15 years after Edgard store hold up
Published 12:06 am Saturday, March 4, 2017
- Shawn Himel
EDGARD — A West Bank gas station robbery, thwarted by a quick-thinking attendant, came back to bite the gunman, who was sentenced to 15 years in jail, according to authorities.
Shawn Himel, 45, of Paradis pleaded guilty to attempted armed robbery last month and was sentenced, under a plea agreement, to 15 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections, the St. John the Baptist Parish Clerk of Court’s Office said.
He was given credit for time served since March 17, 2015, and his sentence is to run concurrently with cases in St. Charles and St. Mary parishes, the Clerk’s office said.
St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the Shell gas station at 707 Louisiana 3127 in Edgard following an attempted armed robbery report at 3:57 p.m. March 17, 2015.
Authorities reported no one was injured during the incident.
“The perpetrator was making a purchase at the sales counter,” Sheriff Mike Tregre previously said. “When the cash register drawer opened, he told the clerk to give him the money. When the clerk refused to surrender the money, he raised his shirt to expose a handgun in the waistband of his pants.”
The store clerk pushed the alarm button, and the perpetrator fled the store, leaving in a blue Ford Explorer towards St. Charles Parish. Tregre said the gunman sat in the front passenger seat; the driver and a rear seat passenger also occupied the vehicle. Communication dispatchers notified the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office and provided a description of the vehicle.
St. Charles deputies stopped the vehicle on Louisiana 3127 in St. Charles Parish 10 minutes after the initial call. The investigation revealed the perpetrator acted alone authorities said. Investigators identified the perpetrator as Himel. When a deputy attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver and other passenger were not aware of Himel’s action.
Police said Himel pointed the gun at the driver and told him not to stop.
When the driver refused Himel’s command and pulled over to stop, Himel threw the handgun out the window.
