An arrest warrant has been issued for a 22-year-old man in connection with a sexual assault in Adams County.
Adams County Sheriff Travis Patton said Landon Parker of Natchez allegedly assaulted a woman during the early morning hours of Friday. Deputies were called to Merit Health Natchez shortly after 4:15 a.m. The victim reported the assault happened at a home on Rand Road in Adams County. An arrest warrant was issued charging Parker with sexual battery.
Separately, the family of 17-year-old Jacques St Anne of Belle Chase, who died after falling from the dilapidated Tower Plaza in New Orleans, says it plans to sue the building’s owners. Authorities said St Anne was with a group of classmates who were urban exploring and went inside the abandoned building. St Anne died after falling down a flight of stairs that lacked safety rails. The family says the property’s fencing was inadequate on the night they entered, and that fencing improvements made since the incident are different from what was in place at the time. Alexander Land and Development LLC is identified as having legal responsibility for securing the property.
In Laurel, a fire broke out at Howard Industries. The Laurel mayor said a paint booth next to a tanker truck caught fire. Thick smoke spread from the scene, and people near the plant were prompted to leave. Multiple city and county departments responded. The mayor said all employees were evacuated and no known injuries were reported. Firefighters continued working into the evening to put out remaining hotspots.
An advocacy group is also suing the Louisiana Department of Corrections over excessive incarceration. The Promise of Justice Initiative alleges the department keeps prisoners behind bars beyond their scheduled release dates. The group’s attorney said the practice has been ongoing for years and that roughly 80% to 90% of people are over-detained to some extent, including individuals serving what were initially described as short jail sentences. The attorney said over-detention can result in people losing jobs, housing, and opportunities to rejoin society. The Louisiana DOC said it does not comment on ongoing litigation.
The Mississippi River in Natchez is at 29.70 feet and falling.
