Suspect charged in Franklin area home invasion, robbery, kidnapping; More arrests pending, sheriff says

A 24-year-old Franklin man has been charged in connection with a Thursday home invasion, armed robbery and kidnapping in the Franklin area during which the victim was eventually able to escape his captors at a Patterson gas station.
Another suspect was charged with burglary in the case and more arrests are pending, St. Mary Parish Sheriff Mark Hebert said in a news release. The suspects and the victim allegedly knew one another.
—Ezekiel Anderson IV, 24, of the 1000 block of Irish Bend Road in Franklin, was arrested at 9:46 p.m. Thursday on the charges of careless operation of a motor vehicle and hit and run driving.
Anderson was subsequently charged at 1:18 a.m. Friday on a warrant charging him with home invasion, aggravated burglary, second-degree battery, second-degree kidnapping, false imprisonment, possession of a firearm or carrying a concealed weapon by a person convicted of certain felonies and illegal possession of stolen things.
Anderson was also charged at 1:46 a.m. Friday with felony criminal damage to property, simple escape, resisting an officer with force or violence and theft.
—Jermaine Brown, 30, of the 100 block of Third Street in Franklin, was arrested at 10:39 p.m. Thursday on a warrant charging him with simple burglary.
At 4 p.m. Thursday, the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office received a call from St. Mary 911 of a home invasion that occurred at a home in the Bakertown area off of La. 182 between Garden City and Franklin. The male victim contacted 911 from a business on U.S. 90 in Patterson. Deputies responded, obtained a description of a suspect vehicle, and began a search of the area.
At 4:40 pm, dispatch received a report of a hit and run crash that occurred on U.S. 90 in Baldwin. One of the vehicles involved in the crash matched the description of the suspect vehicle. Deputies located the car on Coulee Street in Baldwin and detained the driver, identified as Anderson.
During the crash investigation, deputies found that Anderson rear-ended another vehicle while driving on U.S. 90. Anderson was then transported to the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office in Franklin in reference to the ongoing investigation into the home invasion.
The detective investigating that complaint found evidence that three male suspects, one armed with a gun, forced the victim into his home, tied his hands, struck him repeatedly, and robbed him, Hebert said. The detective also learned that the suspects and victim knew each other.
During the robbery, a fourth suspect entered the home, took items from the victim, and then left the location. The victim sustained several lacerations and other injuries to his head, the sheriff said.
After the robbery, the three suspects forced the victim into a car and drove him to the Patterson area. When the vehicle pulled into a gas station on U.S. 90, the victim was able to get out of the car, Hebert said. He fled to a nearby business and contacted 911. The victim was transported to Teche Regional Medical Center where he was treated and released.
The detective identified the suspect with a gun as Anderson. A deputy located the fourth suspect who entered the home in the Bakertown area and identified him as Brown. Both were subsequently arrested. Brown was jailed with no bail set.
While transporting Anderson to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center, he broke a window and door lock on a police unit and opened the door of the moving vehicle. When the deputy stopped the car, Anderson fled on foot while in hand and leg restraints. The deputy transporting Anderson apprehended him a short distance from the unit.
While escorting him back to the vehicle, Anderson attempted to pull away from the deputy. Anderson was booked into the parish jail with no bail set. Additional arrests are pending the ongoing investigation.
Morgan City Police Chief James Blair reported the following arrests:
—Cotina Poche, 41, of Jennie Drive in Morgan City, was arrested at 11:17 a.m. Thursday on the charges of hit and run and improper backing.
Officers responded to the 600 block of Third Street in regard to a vehicle accident involving a hit and run. Police arrived when they spoke with several witnesses to the incident who told officers that a vehicle was observed to crash into a parked vehicle and fled the scene.
Witnesses provided the license plate and description of the suspected vehicle to officers. Police located a vehicle matching the description at a home on Jennie Drive where officers made contact with the owner of the vehicle identified as Poche.
Officers found evidence of Poche’s involvement in the hit and run crash. Poche was jailed.
—Kristen M. Romero, 30, of Jennifer Street in New Iberia, was arrested at 11:09 p.m. Thursday on a warrant for failure to appear on the charge of driving under suspension, a warrant for failure to appear on the charge of no vehicle insurance and a warrant for failure to appear on the charge of no headlights.
Romero was transported from the Abbeville Police Department to the Morgan City Police Department in regard to several Morgan City Court warrants. Romero was jailed.
Berwick Police Chief James Richard reported the following arrest:
—Quandon Favors, 28, of Tournament Boulevard in Berwick, was arrested at 1:46 p.m. Thursday on a charge for resisting an officer. Favors remains jailed. He was transferred St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center. Bail is set at $2,500.
Patterson Police Chief Patrick LaSalle reported the following arrest:
—Anthony Dewayne Lightfoot, 35, of the 100 block of Mallard Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 8:41 p.m. Thursday on a charge for simple battery involving domestic violence.
Lightfoot remains jailed. No bail is set.