Heroin Found in Crash Investigation

Press Release – On June 21, at around 7:30 am, an APD traffic officer was patrolling the area of Jackson Street Extension and came upon a single-vehicle crash near the intersection of Ida Street. A Toyota truck had been traveling east-bound on Jackson Street and left the roadway, going into the grass and striking a stop sign at the intersection. The vehicle had then continued across Ida Street and came to rest in the private parking lot there.

Fire and Emergency personnel were on scene and treating the driver, who was still in the driver’s seat and was unresponsive, apparently asleep or unconscious. During their examination, the driver woke up, but appeared still under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Upon first contact with the driver, the officer saw a syringe on the dashboard of the truck.

The officer began his DWI investigation and determined that the driver had been injecting heroin while driving to work, and the effects of the drugs contributed to the crash. Following the DWI investigation, the driver, identified as Joseph Roy, 31, of Marksville, was arrested for DWI. The officers also found additional suspected heroin residue in the vehicle, along with other drug paraphernalia, and two different types of Performance Enhancing Drugs, which are also controlled substances. Roy was ultimately charged with DWI-2nd Offense, Reckless Operation of a Vehicle, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and two counts of Possession of CDS-IV. He was booked into the Rapides Parish Detention Center.