Acadia Parish man arrested for threatening high school athletes on bus
An Acadia Parish man was arrested on multiple charges in connection to an incident with a Rayne High School bus.
DUSON, La. (KLFY) – An Acadia Parish man was arrested on multiple charges in connection to an incident with a Rayne High School bus.
According to Duson Police, officers were called out to the 9200 block of Cameron St. on June 6. Officers were told that for unknown reasons, a Blue Ford F-250 passed the bus, waving gestures at the 19 Rayne High School Basketball Players on the bus and forcing it to stop.
The driver of the bus, who is also the coach, was told by several of the students that the man in the truck was waving what they believed to be a handgun. The coach noted that while the man did not have a gun when he exited his truck, he did see a gun in the inside door panel. The man approached the window near the driver’s compartment and yelled threats at the coach, the coach refused to open the side window. The man then returned to his truck and left the scene going east on Cameron and then North on Austria Rd.
Duson Police, assisted by Rayne Police and the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office were able to identify Kenneth Navarre as the suspect. Navarre was interviewed by Duson police on June 7. Navarre said he saw the bus driving recklessly on Quarter Pole Rd. and wanted to get the driver’s name to report them to school officials. Navarre denied having a gun during the interactions with the bus driver or students.
Several videos were collected from area businesses and crime cameras in the area, and no gun was ever seen on video, however, a video of Navarre forcing the bus driver to stop on Cameron St. was obtained.
All of the students and the coach reported to police that they feared being battered by Navarre.
On Monday, Duson Police obtained an arrest warrant for Navarre on charges of reckless operation of a vehicle, aggravated obstruction of a highway, 19 counts of simple assault and one count of simple assault on an educator by a non-student. Navarre turned himself in to Duson Police on Monday evening and was booked into the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center.
Duson Police Chief Kip Judice commended the cooperation of the Acadia Parish School Board Staff, Rayne High School Administration, Rayne Police and the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office.