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Linda Verrette was lucky Phillip Norris of Delcambre was traveling north on U.S. Hwy. 167 at the same time she was. Had he waited a few minutes to travel, Verrette may not be alive today.
Verrette, 67, was heading home to Lafayette on Hwy. 167 at around 4 p.m. during a rain storm. For unknown reasons, Verrette’s vehicle began to hydroplane because of the water on the road. Her vehicle slid into a ditch between Maurice and Abbeville, not far from Duhon Road.
Due to the heavy rain, there was moving water in the ditch and Verrette’s vehicle was half underwater, with her still in the driver’s seat. Her body was jammed under the steering wheel, so she was not walking out of the accident without help.
Her cell phone stayed dry, and she frantically called one of her daughters telling her, “My car is in a ditch, and I can not get out. I don’t exactly know where I am.”
Her family knew she was leaving Abbeville, heading home, so they rushed to Hwy. 167 in hopes of finding the white SUV.
At the same time this was happening, Norris was also traveling north on Hwy. 167, and he looked to his right and saw something white in a ditch.
It looked like a car, so he put the brakes on and skidded 50 yards past the SUV. He parked and began running towards the SUV, partially submerged in water.
Norris said, “I was so relieved to come around the car, look through the windshield and see her look up at me. I saw her eyes when she saw me.”
Norris could not open the passenger door, so he needed to break the glass. Norris, a contractor, ran back up the hill to his truck to get a sledgehammer. He returned, broke the back passenger glass, and opened the passenger door. He crawled into the SUV and realized that getting her out was going to take a lot of work with the SUV on its side. He had to break her seatbelt to get her out of the seat.
“Thank God she was a trooper,” said Norris. “She remained calm the entire time. She said a joke about me breaking her back glass.”
While still in the SUV, the two exchanged first names only.
He eventually got her unbuckled and helped her stand up in the SUV, where he pulled her out of the vehicle. He carried her up the steep ditch on his back. Another man stopped and offered help carrying Verrette up the hill.
Before he carried her, Verrette said she lost a shoe and needed that shoe for work, she told him. Norris reached into the muddy ditch, pulled her shoe out of the water.
By the time Verrette and Norris reached the shoulder of Hwy. 167, the Sheriff’s deputy and family began to arrive. Norris gave Verrette a dry towel to dry her, and he made sure she was physically OK. Then he left the scene. He returned home to Delcambre to wash and dry off and then to Lafayette on Hwy. 167. When he drove by the accident, the SUV was entirely underwater.
That night, he wanted to know if Verrette was OK. He posted on his Facebook page about the car accident, and the driver’s name was Linda. He asked if anyone knew of a Linda involved in a car accident on Hwy. 167.
When he did that, Linda Trahan, Verrette’s daughter, also posted a message on her Facebook page asking if anyone knew who the two men were who rescued her mother in a car accident.
Someone who is friends with Norris and Trahan tagged Norris about Linda’s question.
Norris responded to Trahan’s Facebook post.
“Good morning Tracy Trahan, I was the one that got her out of the car........I am so relieved to know that she is OK. Please tell her, I said, to never do that again.”
Thursday morning, Trahan and Norris spoke on the phone, and Norris asked Trahan again if Verrette was still OK.
Trahan is grateful someone stopped for the accident.
“There are still good people in the world,” said Trahan. “I am so glad he stopped to help.”
When the dust clears, Norris said he wants to meet with Verrette in normal circumstances.
“I did what I hope someone would do if that were my wife or son in the car,” said Norris.

State 4-H University is a culmination of a 4-H member’s year of hard work and dedication. Through competing, youth demonstrate life skills in teamwork, decision making, problem solving, and resiliency. Each event offers members an opportunity for personal growth, skill mastery, and recognition for achievements.
This year, 71 Vermilion Parish members took part in this state-wide event. The students ranged from grades 8th through 12th. The group displayed tremendous versatility and dedication. Along with a host of volunteer adult leaders, all agents in the Extension Service office help to prepare and train delegates for their respective contests. It was a true team effort. The 13 state winners will be awarded with educational trips to locations including Little Rock, Arkansas; Atlanta, Georgia; and Washington D.C.
In addition to the 48 ribbon winners, some members earned leadership roles on project-specific boards. Paityn Martin was elected to serve on the State 4-H Executive Committee as a Southwest Regional Representative. Andrew Courville secured a spot on the State 4-H Citizenship Board. Isabella Trahan is a new member of the State 4-H Food and Fitness Board. Aubrey Broussard was seated on the State 4-H Fashion Board. Laci Desormeaux is rounding out her second year on the State 4-H Shooting Sports Ambassador Team. Alyssa Vice and Tucker Meaux were awarded spots on the State Wetlands Ambassador Team. All of these members will serve in leadership roles on the parish level as well through the Parish 4-H Jr. Leader Club. Vermilion Parish 4-H member, Morgan Meaux served as State 4-H President and rounded out her hear with a touching farewell address.
For many who attend 4-H University, it is an opportunity to explore the LSU campus. Students attend educational workshops throughout the week on topics of their choice. Many tour college departments and learn about opportunities at the state’s flagship university. Members also get to meet new friends and make connections with 4-H’ers from throughout the state who share similar interests. This year’s event was truly excellent as evidenced by the following placings.

KAPLAN — The Kaplan Aldermen are not too happy with the contractor Ricky LeBlanc, who is building a mobile home park in Legion Park near the Kaplan Cemetary.
The mobile home park will probably never happen because the aldermen are about to put the brakes on the project altogether.
Months ago, LeBlanc approached Mayor Kloesel and the aldermen about putting mobile homes in Legion Park, initially developed for homes.
However, that idea never took off, and the subdivision sat empty.
LeBlanc’s idea was a mobile home park, but the land was zoned for no mobile home parks. However, LeBlanc convinced the Mayor and aldermen that he planned to develop a first-class mobile home park.
His sales pitch was so good that the aldermen voted to change the zone and allow a mobile home park to be developed.
Over the last few months, Kaplan residents,
including the Mayor and aldermen, have noticed mobile homes being hauled into Legion Park. The mobile homes did not make a good first impression.
At last week’s city council meeting, the aldermen and Mayor discussed the possibility of rezoning Legion Park, or not allowing a mobile home park to be developed.
“I am not impressed with what they dragged over there,” said Alderman Justin Johnson. “I feel that we were doubled crossed. I am looking for answers.”
Mayor Kloesel and town attorney Woody Woodruff met with LeBlanc and told him the town is already getting complaints about the mobile homes that were moved into Legion Park.
“They are sleeping quarters from oil rigs,” said Mayor Kloesel.
Mayor Kloesel informed LeBlanc that if the mobile home park does not meet the town’s standards, the town will not provide Legion Park with electricity.
Alderman Mike Rhenfrow has received phone calls from upset residents. The mobile homes are in his district.
“He (LeBlanc) is not going to make a fool out of me again,” said Rhenfrow. “I am hard against it. I will start next month the process of rezoning.”

In support of Operation Dry Water, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Enforcement Division arrested 12 boaters statewide for alleged driving or operating a vessel while intoxicated (DWI) from July 1 to July 3.

On July 1, agents arrested:

Johnny W Calton V, 29, Grayson, on the Ouachita River in Caldwell Parish.
Cody Overland, 28, of Independence, on the Tickfaw River in Livingston Parish.
Brett D. Fitch, 38, of Cecilia, on the Atchafalaya River in St. Martin Parish.

On July 2, agents arrested:

Eric Holley, 40, of Minden, on Lake Claiborne in Claiborne Parish.
Justin Kelley, 28, of Dry Prong, on the Red River in Rapides Parish.
Robert W. Leblanc, 37, of Ragley, on Toledo Bend in Sabine Parish.
Brad Monistere, 52, of Ponchatoula, on the Tickfaw River in Livingston Parish.
David Barrilleaux, 35, of Metairie, on Lake Pontchartrain in Jefferson Parish.
Blaize M. Weatherford, 28, of Erwinville, on the False River in Pointe Coupee Parish.
Robbie LaFosse, 49, of Lake Charles, in the Calcasieu River Ship Channel in Calcasieu Parish.

On July 3, agents arrested:

Dwayne Giroir, 27, of Pierre Part, in Bayou Magazille in St. Martin Parish.
Brian Frederick, 62, of Carencro, on the Intracoastal Waterway in Vermilion Parish.

In Louisiana, a DWI on the water carries the same penalties and fines as on the road and includes jail time, fines and loss of driving and boating operator privileges.

Anyone cited for a DWI on the water or on the road will lose his or her driver's license and boating privileges for the specified time ordered by the judge in the case. Also, each offense of operating a vehicle or vessel while intoxicated counts toward the total number of DWI crimes whether they happened on the water or road.

In Louisiana a DWI can be issued to anyone operating a moving vessel or vehicle while impaired. First offense DWI carries a $300 to $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail.

Operation Dry Water was started in 2009 and is a joint program involving the LDWF/LED, the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) and the U.S. Coast Guard. More information is available at www.operationdrywater.org.