Police: Morgan City man beat woman, then choked her

A 29-year-old Morgan City man was charged Thursday after he was accused of striking a woman in the face and then strangling her, Morgan City Police Chief James Blair said in a news release.
—Michael Crouch, 29, of Louisa Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 9:53 a.m. Thursday on the charges of domestic abuse battery by strangulation and on a St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office warrant charging him with introducing contraband into a jail facility.
Officers were dispatched to a residence on Third Street in regards to a domestic disturbance. Officers spoke to the victim who stated she and Crouch had gotten into a verbal altercation that later turned physical, Blair said.
The victim stated that Crouch struck her in the face and then began to strangle her, Blair said. Officers observed marks on the victim’s face consistent with her statements, Blair said. Officers located Crouch in the residence, and he was jailed.
Blair reported the following arrests:
—Willis M. Jenkins, 37, of Willow Street in Franklin, at 10:42 a.m. Thursday on an East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office warrant charging him with domestic abuse battery.
The Morgan City Police Department received information from the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office that Jenkins held active warrants for their department. Jenkins was located in the area of Fourth Street and Brashear Avenue. Jenkins was jailed.
—Davonte J. Williams, 23, of Franklin, at 10:16 p.m. Thursday on the charge of resisting an officer and a warrant charging him with two counts of failure to pay fines.
Officers located Williams in the area of Fifth Street. When Williams noticed officers, he began to flee, but was apprehended, a short time later, Blair said. Williams held active warrants for the Sixth Ward City Court. He was jailed.
St. Mary Parish Sheriff Mark Hebert reported responding to 36 complaints in the parish and reported the following arrests relating to east St. Mary Parish:
—Kelvin Walker, 48, of the 1500 block of Cherry Street in Patterson, at 11:23 a.m. Thursday on a warrant for failure to appear on the charges of direct contempt and failure to use seatbelts and a warrant from Terrebonne Parish for failure to appear on the charges of reckless operation, driving under suspension, no registration, no license plate, expired motor vehicle inspection, and no insurance.
Walker turned himself in at the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office in Franklin. Walker was jailed with bail set at $600.
—Kamron Kelly, 33, of the 45100 block of Fontenot Road in St. Amant, at 3:47 p.m. Thursday on a warrant on the charge of theft. A deputy transported Kelly from the Ascension Parish jail to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center on the warrant.
The warrant stems from an investigation into a theft that occurred in April 2014. The detective assigned to the case learned that Kelly had been invited to stay at a residence in Bayou Vista when she stole about $600 in cash from a bedroom drawer along with other items from the home, Hebert said. No bail is set.
—Philippian Lewis, 27, of the 200 block of Jones Street in Berwick, was arrested at 3:15 p.m. Thursday on the charge of no turn signal, expired motor vehicle inspection, driving under suspension, no insurance and failure to carry vehicle registration.
A deputy assigned to patrol Bayou Vista observed a vehicle fail to signal a turn and conducted a traffic stop on Saturn Road. The deputy made contact with the driver, identified as Lewis, and learned that she was driving with a suspended licensed.
The deputy also identified other vehicle violations. The deputy released Lewis on a summons to appear in court Oct. 14.
—A juvenile male, 16, of Bayou Vista, at 9:17 p.m. Thursday on the charges of disturbing the peace fighting, resisting an officer, no driver’s license and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
Deputies were dispatched to a report of a fight on Sun Road in Bayou Vista. While en route, deputies learned that the suspects involved in the fight left the area, Hebert said.
Deputies located one of the subjects who was involved in the encounter driving on La. 182 in Bayou Vista and detained him pending further investigation, Hebert said. The subject was identified as a juvenile male. The juvenile pulled away from the deputy and attempted to run into the highway.
Deputies learned that the juvenile took a vehicle without getting permission from the owner, Hebert said. The juvenile was also driving without a license. The juvenile was released to a guardian pending juvenile court proceedings. The case remains under investigation pending additional arrests.
—Jason Cavalier, 37, of the 100 block of Cremo Lane in Patterson, at 2:58 a.m. today on a warrant from Lafayette Parish for failure to appear on the charge of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. A deputy located Cavalier at his residence on the warrant and transported him to the parish jail for booking. No bail is set.
Berwick Police Chief James Richard reported no arrests.
Patterson Police Chief Patrick LaSalle reported no arrests.

This story was written by Zachary Fitzgerald of The Daily Revie staff. Reach him at zfitzgerald@daily-review.com.