Leesville Lions Club Rodeo Queen Kelsey Wood participated in the Witch Way to Main Street event in downtown Leesville, handing out candy to trick-or-treaters.

The event, hosted by Friends of Leesville Main Street, received support from local police, fire, city and community organizations.

The Leesville Lions Club expressed its appreciation to Wood for representing the club and rodeo while participating in the community event.

The club also thanked everyone who helped make the evening enjoyable for the community.

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The 20th annual CMG Ball brought Vernon Parish residents with disabilities together for a prom celebration filled with music, dancing, friendship and smiles.

The event marked two decades of bringing participants together for a special celebration.

From formal attire to glow sticks, attendees brought their own style to the event and enjoyed time together on the dance floor.

The Vernon Parish School Board expressed its appreciation to the individuals who have dedicated their time and efforts to the event over the past 20 years, as well as everyone who helped make this year’s celebration possible.

The Vernon Parish Police Jury has closed the roadway leading to Vernon Lake Park, effective immediately, until the lake refills with water.

According to the Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office (VPSO), the closure follows multiple incidents involving individuals riding ATVs and driving vehicles onto the exposed lake bed.

VPSO deputies have responded to several reports of vehicles becoming stuck in the lake bed, as well as complaints involving individuals building fires in the area.

The Sheriff’s Office stated that the area will be heavily patrolled until the lake refills.

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Vernon Parish residents can expect mostly sunny skies and mild temperatures through the middle of the week, with highs approaching 80 degrees Thursday before a chance of showers moves into the area.

Rain chances will increase Thursday afternoon and continue into Thursday night before drier conditions return Friday. Temperatures will gradually cool heading into the weekend, with daytime highs settling into the lower 70s and overnight lows dropping into the 40s.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny with highs in the mid-70s. Northwest winds around 5 mph.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear with lows in the upper 40s. Light and variable winds.

Thursday: Mostly sunny with a 30 percent chance of afternoon showers. Highs around 80 degrees. Light and variable winds becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of showers. Lows in the mid-50s.

Friday and Friday Night: Partly cloudy with highs in the upper 70s and overnight lows in the upper 40s.

Saturday and Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy with highs in the lower 70s and lows in the mid-40s.

Sunday: Mostly sunny with highs around 70 degrees.

Sunday Night and Monday: Mostly clear with overnight lows in the lower 40s and daytime highs in the lower 70s.

Overall, Vernon Parish can expect a stretch of pleasant fall weather, with Thursday bringing the greatest chance of rainfall. Cooler mornings and comfortable afternoon temperatures are expected through the weekend and into early next week.

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Mary Claire Ratliff of Vernon Middle School earned Reserve Champion honors in the Chicken Costume Contest at the 2026 State Fair of Louisiana.

Ratliff, the reigning Miss Vernon 4-H Elementary Queen, showcased her creativity with a “Cotton Candy Chick” costume for her chicken.

The Vernon Parish 4-H Livestock Club recognized Ratliff for her accomplishment, highlighting the creativity and enthusiasm she brought to the competition.

The club emphasized that 4-H is about more than competition, providing opportunities for members to have fun, express creativity, build confidence and make memories.

The Vernon Parish 4-H Livestock Club congratulated Ratliff on her Reserve Champion achievement.

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Members of the Leesville Rotary Club traveled to Northwestern State University in Natchitoches to attend the Rotary Mid-Year Meeting, where the club received recognition for its contributions to the Rotary Foundation.

The meeting featured presentations from Jennifer Owens Bluie, a Rotarian from Arkansas, and Mary Webber, CEO of L & R Human Resource Consulting LLC and a fellow Rotarian.

Both speakers conducted workshops focused on membership recruitment, retention and involvement, emphasizing the importance of participation from all members in helping clubs grow and maintain active membership.

The Leesville Rotary Club received a banner recognizing its second-place ranking in the district for per capita Annual Fund giving to the Rotary Foundation.

Despite its smaller membership, the club emphasized its commitment to giving and Rotary’s motto, “Service Above Self.”

Pictured are Leesville Rotary Club President Carolyn Teachey and President-Elect Linda Thomas.

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Anytime Fitness celebrated its newly remodeled location with a ribbon-cutting ceremony alongside the Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce.

Chamber members, community leaders, the Red Vest Ladies and local supporters attended the event to celebrate the gym’s renovations.

The Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce expressed its appreciation to everyone who attended and supported the occasion.

The Chamber also congratulated the Anytime Fitness team on its newly remodeled facility and encouraged community members to visit the location, see the updates and learn more about what the gym has to offer.

The celebration highlighted the Chamber’s continued support for a healthier, stronger and more vibrant Vernon Parish.

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Vernon Parish football teams have a really good idea about what the playoffs entail as they enter their regular-season finales Friday.

Leesville and Rosepine know they will be staying at home for a first-round playoff game as both teams enter the final week ranked No. 5 in their respective playoff brackets.

Pickering’s season has come to an end as the Red Devils have a Week 10 bye and finish the season at 1-8, which started with a season-opening win against Pine Prairie.

But that doesn’t mean Week 10 is void of value.

Leesville (8-1, 3-0) is playing for a District 3-4A title as they butt heads on the road with Division II Select power Lake Charles College Prep (8-1, 3-0).

Rosepine lost its defacto district title game two weeks ago against Vinton, but the Eagles (8-1, 2-1) can secure second place by beating DeQuincy (2-7, 1-2).

While both teams enter at No. 5, it’s a long shot that they’ll slide up into the top four and receive a first-round bye.

LEESVILLE

The Wampus Cats waltzed through most of their schedule this season thanks to a weakening of the district after multiple teams, including undefeated Eunice and defending state champs Iowa, dropped down to Class 3A.

But Week 10 at LCCP has been circled from the start, and the Wampus Cats will get a road trip that feels like a quarterfinals or a semifinals trip.

Leesville proved that they are a threat for a deep playoff run after a 55-40 win at Jena, who played for the Division III Non-Select state title.

LCCP advanced to the quarterfinals in Division II Select before bowing out to Vandebilt Catholic in 2025.

The Wampus Cats have a pair of semifinals appearances (2018 and 2024) and an additional quarterfinals appearance (2022) in coach Robert Causey’s decade at the helm.

Leesville’s performance against LCCP could certainly validate the Jena win and give Wampus Cats fans an idea of just how far their team could go.

The Wampus Cats ran into that LCCP buzzsaw in the second round of the 2025 playoffs, falling 42-23.

But now Leesville reclassified as a Non-Select team, so they won’t have to worry about seeing the Trailblazers in the postseason.

They’ll get that test Friday against a team that got seven of its eight wins by double-digits, not including a one-point win over defending state champion Sterlington.

ROSEPINE
The Eagles have handled every opponent not named Vinton by double digits, and there’s no reason to think DeQuincy in the finale will be different.

The two-win Tigers have wins against Pickering and Westlake, who are nowhere near the playoff picture.

DeQuincy is fighting for their playoff lives and will likely get in because of the strength factor that Rosepine provides.

The Eagles navigated a difficult game against East Beauregard in a 26-14 win one week after falling to Vinton in their first loss of the season. It was the eighth straight win over for the Trojans for Rosepine.

Now Rosepine will try to enter the playoffs on a positive note, their first trip since a 2022 quarterfinals run.

DeQuincy has won the last three meetings in the series, but this is nowhere near the team that suffered through a pair of one-win seasons the past two years.

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Ladies, here’s some information that probably won’t shock you. Most men don’t look at how much something costs if it’s something they really want. THEY BUY IT NO MATTER WHAT!

A few men might know the actual price, but it doesn’t factor into the equation or their decision as to whether they buy it or not. It’s a bottom line question — how bad do they want it?

Men are simple and selfish creatures and will not allow the price of something to decide if they purchase it. They will buy it, then ask for forgiveness later if their significant other handles the finances.

We, as men, do have a few considerations that might affect our decision. Will I be the only one of my friends that has one of these? Is this a product that will help me put more fish in the boat or more meat on the table to feed my family? Will this product help me win a bass tournament?

This also applies to men who grocery shop. While the rest of the nation is complaining about the high price of eggs and beef products, men are more concerned about making sure they get enough to feed everyone. If we’re having a hamburger cookout, we don’t look at how much ground beef is per pound. WE JUST BUY IT!

Even at the check-out counter, especially self-check-out, men don’t always pay attention to how much a product costs that we just scanned. We scan it, bag it and move on immediately. Whatever price is on the screen, that’s what we’ll pay. Very seldom do we stop and consider if that’s the right price or not.

I’m not saying we don’t care, because that’s not true. But we’re just not as conscious as we should be.

My wife brought this to my attention recently when she was checking out and had an issue with a tomato she was buying at the local grocery store. As she weighed it, the price came up way more than the tomato was supposed to be.

She contacted the clerk overseeing the self-check-out area and they made sure the right price was charged. But had that been me, I would have never looked at the price and would have walked out as if nothing was wrong … until my wife checked the receipt.

After watching several TV reports lately about how people are being overcharged at supermarkets and discount stores, there’s no telling how many times I have walked out of a store overcharged for whatever was in my buggy.

But with the economy still in distress and grocery prices unstable, the time has come to pay attention to what we are being charged. Some stores are in survival mode and are trying to stay in business.

While I don’t think a lot of this is intentional, it’s up to all of us to make sure we are not being taken advantage of as consumers and pay closer attention to what the register is showing.

So ladies, if you want to make sure your household budget stays intact, don’t ask your man to go shopping.

‘Til next time, to all the men out there, be aware of what you’re paying at the cash register and be more conscious of what things cost; our reputation is at stake.

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

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Welcome to the holiday season officially known as New Hallowsthanksmas!

I am not certain how official it is. I believe I named it sometime in the 1980s, and, as far as I know, I remain the only person using the designation. Still, every tradition has to begin somewhere. Usually, in my family, it begins with somebody saying, “Are you going to eat that?”

New Hallowsthanksmas stretches from Halloween through New Year’s Day. Calorie counting is suspended. Sound nutritional advice disappears beneath a layer of cream cheese. Family members suddenly rediscover the road to your house, especially if you have a guest bedroom and dependable Wi-Fi.

It is a wonderful opportunity to rediscover the people we love. Occasionally, it also reminds us why we usually love a few of them from a distance.

Somewhere along the way, however, we turned celebration into a competitive sport.

How many dishes are necessary for Thanksgiving dinner? At what point does a meal become an agricultural exposition? Must we serve sweet potatoes in three different forms? Apparently, a sweet potato cannot enter the kingdom of Thanksgiving unless it has been baptized in butter and covered with marshmallows.

Then comes Christmas. How tall should the stack of presents be? Should we still be able to see the tree? How many parties constitute a successful season? And who decided every organization we have ever joined needs to hold its Christmas gathering during the same eleven days?

By January, we are exhausted, overdrawn, and eating leftover cheese ball because nobody has the strength to find a vegetable.

Someone asks, “How were your holidays?”

“We survived.”

That ought to tell us something.

Survival is a reasonable goal for a shipwreck. Surely we can hope for more from the celebration of our Savior’s birth.

Perhaps this year we could begin with a different question: What would help us receive the gifts God is actually giving?

Thanksgiving invites gratitude. Gratitude requires enough attention to notice what we already have. That is difficult when we are busy making lists of everything we still need to buy.

Christmas announces that God has come near. Yet we can become so occupied preparing for Christmas that we have little time to pray, worship, or notice the person beside us.

The first Christmas ought to give us permission to simplify. God entered the world in the vulnerability of a child laid in a manger. We keep acting as though the occasion requires matching pajamas, six coordinated wreaths, and a dining room that qualifies for a magazine cover.

There is nothing wrong with decorations, presents, or a good casserole. I am a Methodist minister. I would never recklessly endanger the casserole.

But we ought to ask whether our celebrations leave room for the love Jesus teaches us to practice.

Could we prepare one fewer dish and spend a little longer at the table? Buy one fewer gift and help a neighbor keep the lights on? Decline an invitation and visit someone whose calendar is painfully empty?

Could we listen to a relative without preparing our rebuttal? Offer an apology before passing the rolls? Remember that the people in our homes need kindness more than they need a flawless centerpiece?

Make a little room now. Leave an evening open. Spend within your means. Worship with your church. Welcome someone who might otherwise be alone.

When New Year’s Day arrives, may we have something better to say than “We survived.”

May we be able to say, “We gave thanks. We made room for Jesus. We loved the people he placed before us.”

And if there are only two kinds of pie, I believe the family will recover.

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On Nov. 4, 1922, a discovery beneath the sands of Egypt’s Valley of the Kings set off one of the greatest archaeological stories in history, revealing a treasure-filled tomb, a long-forgotten pharaoh and a mysterious curse that would capture the world’s imagination.

British archaeologist Howard Carter and his excavation team uncovered a stone step buried beneath ancient debris. That single step led to a staircase and eventually the sealed tomb of Tutankhamun, the young Egyptian pharaoh who had been buried for more than 3,000 years.

Carter had spent years searching for the tomb, and financial support for his excavations was running thin. His discovery would become one of the most significant archaeological finds of the 20th century.

On Nov. 26, 1922, Carter and his financial backer, Lord Carnarvon, entered the tomb’s interior chambers.

Inside, they discovered an extraordinary collection of ancient Egyptian treasures, including furniture, jewelry, ceremonial objects and elaborate burial equipment. Among the most remarkable discoveries was a stone sarcophagus containing three nested coffins. The innermost coffin, made of solid gold, held the mummified remains of Tutankhamun.

The young pharaoh had died approximately 3,000 years earlier, at around 18 years old. Unlike many ancient Egyptian royal tombs that had been looted over the centuries, Tutankhamun’s burial chambers remained largely intact, providing an unprecedented look into the burial traditions of ancient Egypt.

The discovery soon became associated with one of history’s most famous supernatural legends: the curse of the pharaohs. In 1923, just months after the tomb was opened, Lord Carnarvon died following complications from an infected mosquito bite. His death helped fuel sensational newspaper stories suggesting that disturbing the resting place of an Egyptian pharaoh could bring deadly consequences.

The legend spread worldwide, with reports connecting other deaths and unusual events to the opening of the tomb. However, researchers have found no convincing scientific evidence that a supernatural curse was responsible. A study published in 2002 found no significant difference in survival among Western visitors exposed to the tomb compared with those who were not.

More than a century later, the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb remains one of archaeology’s most recognizable achievements. The treasures uncovered by Carter’s team provided historians and researchers with invaluable information about ancient Egyptian royalty, religious beliefs and burial practices.

What began with the discovery of a single buried step on Nov. 4, 1922, ultimately revealed a remarkable collection of ancient treasures and gave rise to a mystery that continues to fascinate generations.

And while the legendary curse remains a story of superstition rather than established fact, the discovery itself forever changed our understanding of ancient Egypt.

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George Baldwin Selden was a brilliant New York patent attorney, but his passion was inventing. George only became an attorney at the insistence of his father, Henry Selden, a prominent attorney who defended Susan B. Anthony in her 1873 trial for voting as a woman. It was around that time that inventors began looking for a way to replace horses as transportation. Horses required constant care and horse manure was a constant sanitation problem. George designed a “gasoline and oil type” automobile and submitted his patent request on May 8, 1879. For George, a patent attorney, the process to attain a patent was almost second nature, but George intentionally delayed the finalizing of his patent. George’s strategy was to stall the patent process until interest in automobiles was peaking. After 16 years of intentional delays, on November 5, 1895, George was granted patent No. 549,160 for “a road vehicle, the motor being a liquid hydrocarbon gas engine of the compression type.”

George’s plan worked well. His patent granted him the exclusive right to manufacture, sell, and use gasoline powered automobiles for 17 years. It was considered “the pioneer invention” in the automobile industry. In 1899, George transferred rights to his patent to the Electric Vehicle Company in exchange for compensation which included future royalties. In another clever move, George made a huge profit and would continue earning royalties while the task of collecting royalties was done by the Electric Vehicle Company. In 1903, thirty-two members of the Manufacturer’s Mutual Association formed the Association of Licensed Automobile Manufacturers (ALAM) and leased the right to manufacture and sell gasoline powered automobiles. Lessees eventually included manufacturers such as Buick, Cadillac, Hudson, Packard, Pierce Arrow, and Studebaker. Notice that Ford was not included in the list. Henry Ford had applied for a license through the ALAM, but his application was rejected. A large group of independent manufacturers refused to pay royalties on the Selden patent and Henry Ford joined them. At one point, Henry tried to lure the ALAM into court to have the patent thrown out because of its “monopolistic control and exploitation by the automobile trust.” In a bold move, Henry Ford offered the ALAM $1,000 if they would file suit against him. He got his wish in October 1903 when the ALAM filed suit against the Ford Motor Co. and C.A. Durer & Company for manufacturing automobiles, the O.J. Gude Company for advertising their cars, and John Wanamaker, an owner of a Ford car. The court case dragged on for years and the Selden patent was upheld until January 9, 1911, when the United States Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the decision of the lower court and concluded that Selden’s patent was limited to a particular type of engine, which Ford’s automobiles did not use. George and the ALAM said they would take the case all the way to the United States Supreme Court if they had to but ultimately decided against it because the exclusive rights provided by the patent were set to expire in September of the same year. George B. Selden’s plan was brilliant. His plan is even more impressive when you learn that at the time he received the patent which granted him control over the automobile industry, he had never built a single car.

Sources:

1. Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, November 12, 1900, p.12.

2. The Flint Journal, October 24, 1903, p.1.

3. The Union and Advertiser (Rochester, New York), September 16, 1909, p.9.

4. The Rochester Herald, January 10, 1911, p.1.

5. “Selden Automobile Patent Model, 1879,” National Museum of American History, accessed October 25, 2026, https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object/nmah_1305689.

© 2026 Brad Dison. All rights reserved. Remember This? is distributed for licensed publication only.

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NONE

Vernon Parish Journal publishes paid obituaries – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access.

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Local voters head to the ballot box today, with neighborhood precincts open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. State law ensures that anyone waiting in line by 8 p.m. is permitted to vote.

Area residents should verify their designated polling precinct and review a sample ballot before heading out by using the GeauxVote mobile app or visiting GeauxVote.com.

When checking in at your precinct, election commissioners will request an approved photo ID, such as a Louisiana driver’s license, a state special identification card, the LA Wallet app, or a U.S. military ID. Voters who do not have an approved photo ID can still cast their ballot by completing a standard voter identification affidavit with election workers.

Local election officials ask voters to show patience and respect toward our community’s poll workers and commissioners. With multiple local and state candidate races alongside ballot measures, selections may take longer to complete, which can cause lines at peak hours.

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Louisiana voters head to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 3, with precincts opening at 6 a.m. and closing at 8 p.m. statewide. Under state law, any voter waiting in line by 8 p.m. is permitted to cast a ballot.

The Louisiana Secretary of State’s office urges voters to check their precinct locations and review a sample ballot before arriving at the polls by using the GeauxVote mobile app or visiting GeauxVote.com.

Voters are also asked to practice patience and show courtesy toward election commissioners and precinct workers. Because ballots feature numerous candidate races and proposed constitutional amendments, voters may need extra time to complete their selections, potentially extending wait times at polling locations.

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At 2:00 am on Sunday, November 1st, Louisiana residents must set their clocks back one hour as Daylight Saving Time ends. Known as the time to “Fall Back” it is the second clock adjustment made each year to shift an hour of sunlight from the morning to the evening, aligning natural daylight with normal human waking and working. On March 8, residents “Spring Forward” and set their clocks ahead one hour.

While the United States implemented temporary daylight saving measures during World War I and World War II, and Congress passed the Uniform Time Act in 1966, records show that the first time that started recognizing Daylight Saving Time was in 1970. Louisiana passed Act 133 in 2020 to make Daylight Saving Time permanent year-round, but the change cannot take effect until Congress amends the federal Uniform Time Act

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Sunday, November 1, Daylight saving time (DST) ends as all but a few states set back their clocks by one hour.

DST is the practice of advancing clocks by one hour during warmer months so that evening daylight lasts longer.

Current Schedule in the U.S.

• Starts: Second Sunday in March at 2 a.m. (clocks move forward 1 hour).
• Ends: First Sunday in November at 2 a.m. (clocks move back 1 hour to standard time).

Most of Arizona and Hawaii, along with U.S. Territories (Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands to not observe DST.

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Early voting for the Nov. 3, 2026, election officially closed in Vernon Parish on Tuesday, Oct. 27, with 3,843 ballots cast during the seven-day early voting period.

According to the Louisiana Secretary of State’s final early voting statistical report, 3,466 voters cast their ballots in person, while 377 absentee ballots were recorded.

With early voting now closed, voters who have not yet cast their ballots may vote on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at their assigned polling locations.

Voter Demographics

The demographic breakdown for Vernon Parish’s seven-day early voting period is as follows:

• Race: 2,940 White voters, 671 Black voters, and 232 voters identified as Other.
• Sex: 1,995 Female voters and 1,845 Male voters, as reported by the state.

Party Affiliation

Republicans represented the largest turnout group during the early voting period:

• Republicans: 2,173
• Democrats: 885
• Other/Other Parties: 785 (775 No Party/Independent voters and 10 affiliated with other parties)

Final Seven-Day Early Voting Recap

With the seven-day early voting period complete, a total of 3,843 ballots were recorded in Vernon Parish.

Category	Total
Total Votes	3,843
In-Person	3,466
Absentee	377
Republicans	2,173
Democrats	885
Other Parties	785

Note: The Other Parties category combines voters registered with no party affiliation and those registered with other political parties.

Election Day Information

Although early voting has ended, the election is not over.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Voters who have not already voted should report to their assigned Election Day polling locations, which may differ from early voting locations.

For eligible absentee voters, the deadline to request an absentee ballot is Friday, Oct. 30, at 4:30 p.m. Completed absentee ballots must be received by the parish registrar of voters by Monday, Nov. 2, at 4:30 p.m., except for certain military, overseas and other qualifying voters.

The 3,843 ballots reported represent Vernon Parish’s recorded turnout through the close of early voting. Additional eligible absentee ballots may still be received before Election Day.

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Sheriff Sam Craft of the Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office announces recent arrests made by VPSO.

October 19, 2026

Juan Jose Magallon, age 43, of Boyce, was arrested and charged with Possession of a Schedule II Narcotic. Bond was set at $ 5000.00. Magallon posted bond and was released.

James Douglas Witcher, age 57, of Fredricksburg, Virginia, was arrested on an outstanding Bench Warrant. Bond has been denied and Witcher remains in the VPSO jail.

October 20, 2026

James Evander Turner, age 46, of Leesville, was arrested on an outstanding Bench Warrant. Bond has not been set and Turner remains in the VPSO jail.

James Vincent Baker, age 37, of Leesville, was arrested and charged with one count of Turning movements and required signals, one count of Proper equipment required on vehicles, two counts of Resisting an officer, two counts of Battery of a Police Officer, two counts of Possession of a Schedule II Narcotic, one count of Possession of a Schedule II Narcotic with the intent to Distribute, one count of Possession of Marijuana, one count of Required Position and method of turning at an intersection. Bond has not been set and Baker remains in the VPSO jail.

October 22, 2026

Joseph Ray Paddy, age 43, of Possession of a Schedule II Narcotic and one count of Turning Movements and Required Signals. Bond has not been set and Paddy remains in the VPSO jail.

Shalonda Nix, age 39, of Leesville, was arrested and charged with one count of Possession of a Schedule II Narcotic, one count of Possession of a Schedule II Narcotic with the Intent to Distribute, and one count of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Bond has not been set and Nix remains in the VPSO jail.

Lavonda Danielle Morgan, age 41, of Leesville, was arrested and charged with one count of Possession of a Schedule II Narcotic, one count of Possession of a Schedule II Narcotic with the Intent to Distribute, and one count of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Bond has not been set and Morgan remains in the VPSO jail.

ALL PERSONS ARE PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY IN A COURT OF LAW.

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The DeRidder Police Department announced the arrest of a Leesville woman in connection with an August crash that claimed the life of Jeffery L. Garner of DeRidder.

Tyiree Brown-Seaman, 50, of Leesville, was arrested Oct. 25, 2026, following an investigation into the fatal crash that occurred Aug. 20, 2026, at a local car wash.

According to the DeRidder Police Department, investigators, with assistance from Louisiana State Police, established probable cause to arrest Brown-Seaman, who was driving a 2011 Chevrolet Camaro involved in the crash.

Brown-Seaman was booked into the Beauregard Parish Jail on the following charges:

• Negligent homicide
• Negligent injuring
• Obstruction of justice
• Reckless operation
• Operating a vehicle while under suspension for certain prior offenses
• Possession of a Schedule I controlled dangerous substance
• Two counts of possession of a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance
• Possession of a Schedule III controlled dangerous substance
• Possession of a legend drug
• Possession of drug paraphernalia

Brown-Seaman is being held on a $430,000 bond.

The DeRidder Police Department extended condolences to Garner’s family and loved ones. The department stated that the investigation reflects its commitment to thoroughly investigating serious incidents and pursuing accountability when evidence supports criminal charges.

Brown-Seaman is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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The Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office shared a report of a stolen 2009 150RB dirt bike in Pitkin, Louisiana.

The motorcycle has several identifying features, including a red, white and blue Guts Racing seat, Acerbis X-Ultimate hand guards, black and red grips, and a scoop-style rear tire.

According to the information shared, the remainder of the motorcycle is in stock condition.

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