On October 5, 2023, Patrick Sheppard of 5407 Barras St. St. James, LA, age 62, pled guilty to DWI 4th Offense. Sheppard was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Bruce Mohon, and presiding over this matter was the Honorable Judge Keyojuan Turner.
On July 21, 2023, St. James Parish Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the area of LA 20 near St. Parick St. Vacherie in reference to a single vehicle crash. Upon arrival, deputies observed a Chevrolet pickup truck overturned in a ditch. Deputies assisted the driver, Patrick Sheppard, exit the vehicle. Upon making contact with Sheppard, deputies detected the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from his person and he displayed obvious signs of impairment. While awaiting medical treatment, Sheppard admitted to consuming alcohol prior to the crash. Due to the severity of the crash and injuries sustained, Sheppard was unable to perform Standardized Field Sobriety Tests and was transported to an area hospital for treatment. Deputies applied for a search warrant for a blood draw and obtained a blood sample for Sheppard. The blood was submitted to the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab for testing. It was determined that Sheppard’s Blood Alcohol was .23 g% which is nearly three times the legal limit. A warrant of arrest for Sheppard was obtained and upon release from the hospital he was booked into the St. James Partish Jail.
Upon entering a guilty plea to the above-mentioned charge, sentencing was deferred to a later date pending a Pre-Sentence Investigation.
On May 6, 2024, Sheppard was sentenced to 10 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served.