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Family of seven survives fire that destroys duplex

BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB)- A Baton Rouge couple and their five children are safe and are thankful they survived a fire that destroyed their home early Wednesday morning. The father was at work when the fire started and the mother jumped into action to get her children out of the house.

The fire sparked at a duplex in the 700 block of Holt Drive in Baton Rouge shortly after 3 a.m. Holt is off Goodwood Boulevard near its intersection with South Flannery Road.

The Baton Rouge Fire Department said the cause of the fire remains under investigation, but foul play is not suspected. Officials said it is believed the fire started in the attic above the two units.

Quick thinking by Sheron Mitchell Gentris helped her and her kids get out before firefighters arrived.

"I just wanted to get out of there," Gentris said. I knew it was smoke. They couldn't breathe. They were coughing and I was just thinking about getting my kids out of there and to safety. That's all I was worried about."

All lanes reopen on I-10 E between Essen and Highland

BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB)- A three-vehicle crash backed up traffic for an hour Tuesday afternoon on I-10 eastbound between Highland Road and Essen Lane.

The traffic backup from this incident is approached Siegen at times.

Also, I-10 East at LA 641/Grammercy is down to one lane. The right lane is closed for a truck crash. Use US 61 as an alternate route.

Check out the Traffic Maps and Cameras section on wafb.com or use the traffic section on the free WAFB news app.

 

 

Police search for 20-year-old wanted for indecent behavior with a juvenile

Latrell Stepter (Source: BRPD)

BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB)- The Baton Rouge Police Dept. is looking for 20-year-old Latrell Stepter for indecent behavior with a juvenile, computer-aided solicitation of a minor and cyber bullying.

Baton Rouge Police say between November 2012 and May 2013, Stepter electronically transmitted sexually related content to a person under the age of 17. Police also say Stepter used threat and coercion to continue his conversation with the juvenile.

The East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office is also looking for Stepter for indecent behavior with a juvenile in a separate case from October 2010. In that case, deputies say Stepter used sexually explicit verbal communication with a person under the age of 17.

If you have any information on this crime, contact Crime Stoppers at 344-STOP(7867), text CS225 plus your message to CRIMES (274637) or email Crime Stopper anonymously from their Facebook page or website www.crimestoppersbr.com.

I-10 widening project officially completed

BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB)- Some
drivers have already been enjoying the widened stretch along I-10 between
Highland Road and Siegen Lane for the past couple days.

A ribbon
cutting Tuesday morning made the completion of the project official.

City
leaders joined the Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) for a ceremony
celebrating the completion of the six-lane, $60 million project.

Copyright
2013
WAFB. All rights
reserved.

Man arrested for shooting brother during argument

Michael Hebert (Source: EBRSO)

BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB)- A Baton Rouge man is now in the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison after police say he shot and killed his younger brother around 6:30 a.m. Saturday.

Detectives say 51-year-old Michael Hebert was arguing with his brother, 45-year-old Wayne Hebert of Austin, TX, Saturday morning.

Officers arrived at the scene in the 9800 block of Chateu Drive, where Michael lives with his parents, to find Wayne in the driveway with multiple gunshot wounds to his back.

According to police reports, Michael told officers that he and his brother were arguing and he thought Wayne was going to physically attack him. Michael left the driveway, got a gun, came back and shot his brother.

Michael Hebert was taken into custody and booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on charges of second degree murder and illegal use of a weapon.

BRPD investigates shooting death of 16-year-old

BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB)- Police are investigating a shooting that left a teenager dead Wednesday night.

The victim was identified as Cameron Phillips, 16, of Baton Rouge.

He was gunned down on Vickers Drive near Belaire High School around 10 p.m.

The Baton Rouge Police Department said Phillips was shot to death while walking home. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

A suspect has not been identified and the motive for the shooting remains unknown.

The investigation is ongoing.

This shooting was less than a mile from another deadly shooting earlier in the day. That one happened on North Sherwood Forest Drive at Chalice Drive around 11 a.m.

Copyright 2013 WAFB. All rights reserved.

Police search for suspect after deadly shooting in Baton Rouge

BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB)- Investigators are looking for a murder suspect after a deadly shooting Wednesday morning.

The Baton Rouge Police Department say 25-year-old Brandon Carter was shot and killed on North Sherwood Forest Drive at Chalice Drive around 11 a.m.

That is right across the street from St. Louis King of France School. The school is not in session, but there is a camp going on there.

Police were actually in the area at the time of the shooting and heard the shots. They found Carter in an alley behind a business. He had been shot several times and died at the scene.

Carter's family says they are saddened by the loss of someone friends called a jokester.

"His mom... this is her second child that was murdered and nobody has been brought to justice for that," Sharon Miles, Carter's cousin said. "We're just shocked that it has happened. You see it on TV every day, just never think it's going to hit your house or your family."

Police are searching the area for a suspect. They said they don't yet have a positive description of the shooter and have not established a motive.