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WBRZ News
TODAY & TONIGHT
A HARD FREEZE has taken place across most of south Louisiana this morning.
Thankfully, plenty of sunshine will warm temperatures to the upper 40s this afternoon.
Another hard freeze is expected tonight and Sunday morning. In fact, temperatures will likely be a few degrees colder than this mornings lows. Expect overnight temperatures to drop to the lower and mid 20s.
A HARD FREEZE WARNING will begin at 11pm Saturday for all of the WBRZ viewing area.
*HARD FREEZE WARNING* for the shaded area. Temperatures are expected to drop below 25°. #lawx #mswx pic.twitter.com/iWrhoAD22d
— WBRZ Weather (@WBRZweather) January 22, 2022
LOOKING AHEAD
A Gulf disturbance will bring widespread showers across the area late Monday, into Tuesday. Looking at the latest data this morning, the heaviest rain may stay just off shore, keeping rainfall amounts manageable. A reinforcing shot of cold air will move in on Tuesday, keeping the winter chill around for the next seven days.
-- Meteorologist Jake Dalton
Weather updates are available to you on all of our platforms: wbrz.com, and the WBRZ WX App on your Apple or Android device!
BATON ROUGE - A fire consumed an LSU-area apartment complex early Saturday.
The Baton Rouge Fire Department said it responded to a blaze on July Street, in LSU's North Gate area, just after midnight.
The blaze appeared to have burned through multiple units at the apartment complex popular among college students.
The fire erupted as temperatures plummeted overnight, dipping into the mid 20s.
Firefighters took nearly two hours getting the flames under control. The cause of the fire is undetermined.
Eyewitness said the fire consumed multiple floors and by sunrise, much of the building had been destroyed.
The Baton Rouge Fire Department was on the scene much of the morning.
No injures were reported in the incident. Authorities estimate the fire caused about $2.5 million in losses.
More information will be released later Saturday.
Currently, most of the 3rd floor is gone, BRFD still on scene. Parts of the building can be seen on the ground below. Entrances are blocked, we are unable to get out. We are ok- just very scary. Firefighters are breaking down walls. Glass is shattering as the fire continues. pic.twitter.com/RlW7TtFecj
— MacKenzie A Wallace (@KenzieA_Wallace) January 22, 2022
HOLDEN - Two men are facing charges after an 87-year-old man was ambushed on his property, robbed at gunpoint and left tied up.
The Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office said the attack happened around 8 p.m. Monday along LA 441 in Holden. The victim, identified by family and friends as Lloyd Hutchinson, told investigators he was outside his home when a masked assailant confronted him.
Hutchinson was attacked and forced to hand over his money and valuables before being tied up. The attacker left the property in the victim's vehicle, described as a greenish/brown 2005 Ford Taurus.
On Friday, the sheriff's office announced two men were arrested in the attack. John Bailey, 49, of Baton Rouge was booked for armed robbery, attempted first-degree murder, and felon in possession of a firearm. Rauman Laurent, 39, of Denham Springs was arrested as an accessory after the fact to armed robbery.
The sheriff's office added that much of the stolen property has been recovered.
Hutchinson's family shared photos showing him badly bruised and cut in a hospital bed. He is expected to be OK and has since been released.
"This 87 year old man has lost his grandson, daughter and mother to his children in a short period of time and to now get tied up, beaten and held at gun point to have everything he has worked for stolen from him," Hutchinson's grandson said in the post.
Family members offered a $30,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. An online fundraiser was also launched to help replace Hutchinson's stolen belongings.
NEW ROADS - A juvenile suspect arrested in a string of burglaries in Pointe Coupee Parish was among two teenage suspects who escaped a detention center Wednesday night. Deputies now believe he's armed and back in the capital area.
The Pointe Coupee Sheriff's Office said Damarion Simmons, 16, is still at large. The second escapee, 16-year-old Brenden Hebert, was taken into custody Friday morning at a gas station on US 61 when troopers found him in a stolen vehicle.
According to the sheriff's office, the teens broke out of a facility in St. Martin Parish around 7 p.m. Wednesday. The two then allegedly stole a car and drove to New Roads, where Simmons parted ways with the other teen.
Deputies believe Simmons is still in the area and is carrying three firearms stolen from St. Martinville. Reports suggested he was trying to burglarize property in New Roads around 1:30 Friday morning.
Sheriff Rene Thibodeaux said Simmons was soon by deputies Saturday night in Pointe Coupee Parish, but Simmons took off before authorities could capture him.
Sheriff Thibodeaux urged residents in the area to lock their doors and stay on the lookout for Simmons. The sheriff is also offering a $500 reward for information leading to the teen's capture.
Simmons was recently arrested for his role in a burglary ring highlighted by The WBRZ Investigative Unit.
This is Simmons' third escape from a secure facility. The first happened from the Bridge City Center for Youth on November 21. He was recaptured and escaped from the Acadiana Center for Youth in December. He escaped a third time last night.
"I told the staff here two weeks ago I would give him a month and he would be back out on the streets again," Pointe Coupee Parish's Chief Deputy Brad Joffrion said. "This is the history of what he does. Here we are two weeks and we're dealing with it again."
The Office of Juvenile Justice issued a statement that a command center was being set up to gather information on where the teen might be. The department said "human error" played a role in Simmons' latest escape.
"I am very very frustrated with OJJ," Joffrion said. "Something needs to happen. We can't continue on this path. We see on the news every night with the juvenile crime. This particular juvenile has been incarcerated on numerous occasions and they cannot keep him detained."
OJJ told WBRZ they were looking into how the teens escaped. The agency said it was too early to tell if any employees would face discipline.
Anyone with information on the escapee's whereabouts is asked to contact the sheriff's office at (225)694-3737.
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