St. Charles Parish president arrested in Kenner

St. Charles Parish President Lawrence “Larry” Cochran was arrested today (Sept. 2) for allegedly driving while intoxicated.

Kenner Police Lt. Brian McGregor said Cochran has been charged with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and reckless operation of a motor vehicle.

About 1 a.m. today a 911 caller said she was following a 2016 Chevy Tahoe with a public license plate 246055 that was “swerving all over the place” in the 3100 block of Loyola Drive, McGregor said.

The caller told 911 she followed the Tahoe to Joe Yenni Boulevard where “the vehicle drove onto the grassy median.” The witness told police she feared the vehicle would drive into the canal.

Upon entering Chateau Estates subdivision, Kenner Police pulled Cochran over in front of 20 Cabernet Drive, McGregor said.

According to the police report, as police flashed lights to pull Cochran over he also flashed blue lights for about 5 seconds before coming to a stop.

Cochran reportedly had “red, glossy eyes and delayed speech” and told police he had not been swerving all over the roadway. He also said he was in the neighborhood to drop off paperwork to his secretary.

He agreed to submit to the field sobriety test and “performed poorly,” which resulted in his arrest and being taken to jail, according to the police report. A breathalyzer analysis did not detect alcohol although McGregor said the manner in which he took the test may have skewed results so blood samples were taken.

Cochran maintained “he had bad balance and did not finish the remainder of the test” of a second attempt at the test, according to the police report.

He was booked in the Jefferson Parish correctional center in Gretna, and Commissioner Patricia Joyce signed a search warrant that allowed taking two blood samples. Results from the samples are pending with the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab.

Cochran was released from jail this morning due to overcrowding.

In a response issued at 9 p.m. today, Parish spokesman Tristan Babin said, “Parish President Cochran and the rest of the administration team will continue to fulfill the parish’s mission of providing high quality, efficient services to sustain and enhance the quality of life for our residents.”