LRN PM Newscall June 4

A man acting as a police officer in Webster Parish is arrested after shooting a dog. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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LSU Designated Hitter Ethan Frey has had a breakout junior season, but not all fans are surprised. Kace Kieschnick has more…

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

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A man acting as a police officer in Webster Parish is arrested for shooting a dog over the weekend. Webster Parish Sheriff Jason Parker says 54-year-old Reginald Ferguson shot the dog as the dog’s owner was within very close proximity, and she’s lucky that she didn’t get hurt.

Cut 3 (12) “…at the lady.”

A video posted onto social media shows Ferguson wearing a Cullen Police Department uniform and badge. Sheriff Parker says Ferguson was not dispatched to the scene; he went on his own.

Cut 4 (14) “…answered the door.”

In fact, it appears that Ferguson is not even on the force. Parker says the Cullen City Council rejected Ferguson three times when presented by Police Chief Fannie Rankin. So it’s unclear how he obtained his uniform or why he was even allowed to drive a city-issued marked police unit.

Cut 5 (11) “…in the town.”

The dog is still undergoing treatment, and Parker says it’s possible that the dog may need to be put down. As for Ferguson, he’s booked into the Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Facility on 25-thousand dollars bond.

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LSU D-H Ethan Frey is one of the best hitters in the country right now, according to his Head Coach Jay Johnson. Frey’s high school coach, Rosepine’s Jeff Smith, says his success doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone back home…

Cut 6 (15) “…was apparent.”

Frey was named Mr. Baseball in Louisiana in 2022 and led his school to back-to-back state championships. Frey was also quarterback for the Rosepine football team. Smith says folks in southwest Louisiana won’t forget him any time soon…

Cut 7 (14) “…his part.”

Frey sat behind the talented championship-winning roster at LSU in 2023 and played in 34 games for the Tigers last year before a shoulder injury that required offseason surgery. Smith says Frey returned home to recover…

Cut 8 (15) “…his determination.”

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The House Education Committee advances a bill that would pave the way for public schools to give mental health screenings to K-through-12 students. The committee, however, changed it to allow parents to opt out. The bill’s author, Baton Rouge Democratic Senator Larry Selders, says the screenings give schools a way to identify students who are struggling so that they can get them help.

Cut 9 (05)  “…get the resources.”

Some on the panel, however, expressed concerns that the students’ privacy could be jeopardized. Gray Republican Beryl Amedee says she’s concerned that schools would have too much authority over students’ sensitive health data.

Cut 10 (14) “…can’t unsee it.”

Amedee says while Selders’ bill would prohibit schools from making decisions based on the result of the mental health screenings, there could still be unintended consequences.

Cut 11 (06) “…and the school.”

The committee advanced the bill on a 10-to-one vote and now heads to the full House for consideration. Because of amendments passed, it would then have to go back to the Senate before it can land on Governor Landry’s desk.

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Three men from the Acadiana area have been arrested for their alleged involvement in a ten-million-dollar staged crash fraud scheme. State Police Trooper Peggy Bourque says a report from a trucking company led to the arrests of 45-year-old Justin Ledet of Rayne, 38-year-old Steven Thomas of Lafayette and 37-year-old Alfred Onezine. Bourque says the three men came up with a plan to stage a crash at an intersection in Lafayette…

Cut 12 (09) “…juvenile passnegers” 

Bourque says following the crash, Thomas and Onezine, along with the children in the vehicle filed suit against the trucking company that Ledet works for. After an investigation involving State Police and the state Department of Insurance, Ledet and Thomas were charged with automobile insurance fraud. Bourque says Onezine faces additional charges…

Cut 13 (13)  “…officer.”

Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says at a time when Louisiana drivers already pay the highest auto rates in the nation, these men put three children in harm’s way to tray and make a quick buck.