By: Brent Forbes
One man died in an accident at Caplis-Sligo Road and Louisiana Highway 71 last month, but another, a Bossier Sheriff's deptuy directing traffic, had a close call around 10:30 that morning. Bossier Sheriff's Office Spokesperson Ed Baswell says, "fortunately for us the deputy was able to jump out of the way. Otherwise it might have been fatal for him."
Baswell says the man in cuffs, 45 year-old Richard Hahn, sped past the road block going 87 in a 55 mile per hour zone. The deputy stopped Hahn and asked how much he had to drink. The report says Hahn answered, "not enough." Baswell says, "his speech is slurred, he's got five empty beer cans in the vehicle, two empty vodka bottles." Baswell says it's Hahn's third offense for driving while intoxicated, not to mention speeding, open container and flight from an officer and careless operation. The sheriff's office also says Hahn has no record of ever having a drivers license. Baswell says, "we'll arrest and keep on arresting. Someone else takes care of prosecution."
Bossier Parish First Assistant District Attorney Lane Pittard says, "we'll prosecute this guy to the fullest extent of the law." Pittard says Louisiana law pushes multiple offenders into rehab and counseling, but he believes the risk is just too high. Pittard says, because of that, the law does need to go back with the mandatory prison sentences." Baswell says, "as long as they keep drinking and driving, we'll keep arresting them."
Hahn faces between one and five years in prison for his third DWI offense, but it's up to a judge to decide his sentence.
