Port official arrested for reckless driving in St. John Parish

A former St. Charles Parish councilman was arrested last week after failing to return to the scene of an accident, according to the St. John the Baptist Sheriff's Office.

Jay Roberts, 48, 1089 Primrose St., Luling, was booked with reckless driving and negligent injury March 15 after he allegedly caused a four-car pileup in the 300 block of Airline Highway sending six people to the River Parishes Hospital where they were treated and later released.

Two officers working the scene of the accident, that occurred in St. John Parish on March 14, gave Roberts permission to leave the accident and attend a port commission meeting under the agreement that he would return to the scene immediately afterwards.

Roberts was on his way to a South Louisiana Port Commission meeting where he serves as a commissioner.

St. John Sheriff Wayne Jones said it is normally not standard procedure to allow and individual to leave the scene of an accident, but is at the attending officer's discretion, according to published reports. Roberts' license, registration, and insurance were confiscated at the scene and Roberts was allowed to leave the scene and attend the Port Commission meeting.

When Roberts failed to return after the meeting, a warrant for his arrest was issued. He turned himself in March 15 and was released shortly afterward on $12,800 bond.

Roberts was the cause of some controversy last October when he and another man were caught removing candidates' campaign signs from residences in Luling.

He was cited by the St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office for criminal mischief in that incident. Neither Roberts nor Jones were available for comment as of press time.