St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office officers rescued an 82-year-old Destrehan man late Sunday night (March 23, 2025) who had been stranded in a wooded area off I-10 in LaPlace for several hours after he got stuck in waist-deep muddy water while crawfishing.
The man, whose family reported him missing after not hearing from him for more than eight hours, told St. John officers that he got stuck after he attempted to cross a deep patch of water on foot. When he started sinking, he tried to turn around but was unable to pull himself out of the muddy water.
The man said his cell phone had gotten wet and would not work. St. John Parish patrol officer Corporal Travis Klibert located the man’s vehicle shortly before 11:30 p.m. St. John Sheriff’s Office Deputy Brian Kennedy used a SJSO drone to help search and was able to locate the missing man in the woods about two-tenths of a mile away from the vehicle. Sergeant Jonathan Walker gave the man a lifejacket and was able to pull him to safety using a rope.
The man was alert and was transported to a local hospital by Acadian Ambulance for further treatment.
St. John Sheriff Mike Tregre applauded his officers’ efforts in finding and rescuing the man. Sheriff Tregre said he also wanted to remind the public to take precautions when engaging in outdoor activities, such as hunting, fishing or hiking.
“Always let someone know where you are going, where you will be and when you will be back,” Sheriff Tregre said. “You never know what will happen. It’s good to make sure that other people are aware of your plans and location.”