Crackdown occurred May 6-8 on Blind, Amite and Tickfaw rivers, LDWF says
Enforcement agents with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries arrested six boaters for allegedly operating a vessel while intoxicated on the water in Livingston Parish.
According to a news release, agents arrested David Melendez, 48, of Gonzales; Glynn Painter, 63, of French Settlement; Jamie Fuentes, 43, of Denham Springs; Logan Collins, 25, of Winnfield; Justin Pfister, 20, of Destrehan and Gary Mooney, 33, of Baton Rouge.
The arrests took place on the Maurepas Basin system, which consists mainly of the Blind, Amite and Tickfaw rivers, the release states.
A DWI on the water carries the same penalties as a DWI on the road, and brings a $300 – $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail for the first offense, the release states. A DWI on the water also includes loss of driving and boating privileges.
The department said agents will be out in force on waterways this summer, and recommended having a designated operator for a vessel if alcohol is being consumed while boating, according to the release.
