Kaplan man found guilty of third DWI

On Thursday, a Vermilion Parish Jury found Joseph Magnon, 33, of Kaplan, guilty of DWI-3rd offense by a unanimous verdict after deliberating for 10 minutes.
Assistant District Attorney Stanton Hardee, prosecutor working for District Attorney Mike Harson, prosecuted the case.
Former Kaplan City Judge Reule Bourque defended Magnon.
Vermilion Parish Sheriff Deputy Jeremiah Soirez testified that on January 13, 2012, around 4:30 a.m.. he was dispatched to intersection of Cheneu Road and Cabrol Road.
Magnon’s truck was in the ditch and Magnon was standing near his truck and admitted to driving it.
Soirez noticed an alcohol odor on Magnon’s breath, bloodshot eyes, and slurred speech. VPSO Lt. Dale Hargrave also testified that he saw Magnon with bloodshot eyes and heavy alcohol odor on his breath and that he believed Magnon was intoxicated. Officer Marcus Rizzuto also testified that Magnon admitted that he was the driver of the vehicle.
The defense called Elizabeth Hebert who testified she was driving but left the vehicle on the shoulder. She testified she did not know who drove the truck in the ditch. She admitted to calling Magnon to come get the truck because she had run out of gas. Magnon then took the stand and testified that he never admitted that he was driving the vehicle to the officers. He testified that he had drank two cases of beer before he went to the location of the crash. He also admitted on the stand he had been convicted of DWI in Natchitoches Parish and in Acadia Parish before being arrested for this one on January 13, 2012.
Hardee said, “The jury chose to believe the testimony of Soirez, Hargrave, and Rizutto over Magnon and Hebert because they came back with a guilty verdict in 10 minutes. I did find it amusing that Magnon proudly admitted to drinking two cases of beer in a DWI trial. Vermilion Parish Sheriff Office did a fine job taking a repeat offender off the road.”