ST. MARTINVILLE -Despite some debate, the St. Martinville City Council voted in favor of a two-week suspension for a police officer involved in a car crash.

During the council's meeting Monday, Mayor Eric Martin recommended a suspension for St. Martinville police officer Travis Trahan.

"He got in an accident in his personal vehicle off-duty on Jan.1 of this year," Eric Martin said. "He was in his personal vehicle, but the state police estimated that he was going 88 miles per hour on Main Street."

Advertisement

Trahan's vehicle struck a curb, snapped a utility pole, underground power lines and a phone box. He caused damage to businesses on the street, including Councilman Pat Martin's Medicine Shoppe pharmacy.

In all, Trahan caused $100,000 worth of damage, which is not completely covered by his insurance. He was charged with speeding, reckless operation, no seatbelt and operating while under the influence.

"I feel that even though he was off-duty, it was behavior unbecoming of a police officer. I feel that he should be suspended for his actions on that particular night. It's difficult for him to give a ticket as a police officer when it was established he was going that fast and caused that much damage on Main Street," Eric Martin said.

Trahan disagreed with Eric Martin's recommendation.

"I think it's excessive first of all. Second of all, I came back from overseas going to Iraqi Freedom. When I came back, you never heard anything from me in a whole year," Trahan said. "You had other police officers that did more things intentionally and never got that much suspension."

Trahan recalled another incident four years ago in which another department officer drove a police car while under the influence of alcohol. That officer was suspended for three days.

Martin gave Trahan the reasoning behind his decision.

"You've got a great personality. You can handle a situation really well when it's a bad one. And you know the last time you were with us, you left us under not-so-great circumstances when you went to Iraq," Eric Martin said. "We respected you for that, and we allowed you to come back. I think you have the potential to be a good officer. But you have to realize there are certain things you cannot do."

Councilman Murphy Simon said this incident should be treated with the same punishment as the incident Trahan recalled.

Councilman Mike Fuselier and Councilwoman Pam Thibodeaux refused to participate in the conversation regarding the previous incident, citing that the officer in question was not present.

Fuselier made a motion supporting the mayor's 14-day suspension.

Simon offered a substitute motion calling for a three-day punishment. Councilman Ike Robertson seconded the motion.

Pat Martin abstained from the voting because of his involvement in the issue.

Thibodeaux also voiced her opinion for voting against Simon's motion. She said if a pedestrian or another motorist was on the road at the time of the accident, they could have been killed. She also noted that the city is responsible for the remaining damages.

With Pat Martin abstaining from the vote, the council was split. Eric Martin voted against Simon's motion causing it to die.

Trahan expressed his disapproval of the vote, calling the council prejudiced and stating the reason for its decision was because his fiancee is white.

Fuselier's original motion passed, with Eric Martin again breaking a tie.

After the vote, Fuselier said the personnel problems in the department have "become the talk of the town" and asked Police Chief Paula Smith to "reign people in."