Two held for immigration after arrests (Houma Today)

Two held for immigration after arrests

Published: Monday, February 8, 2010 at 8:17 p.m.

THIBODAUX — Two men police say are in the country illegally are being held for immigration officials after they were arrested over the weekend in south Lafourche following separate incidents.

Arturo Ramos, 25, 135 E. 157th St., Galliano, was arrested after the Lafourche Sheriff's Office and State Police tried to pull him over about 2 a.m. Saturday on La. 308 in Cut Off when a deputy noticed he was driving without his headlights on, police said. Ramos allegedly refused to stop and hit speeds of more than 100 mph during the pursuit. He also allegedly swerved into oncoming traffic, forcing other vehicles off the road.

Ramos crashed the truck near La. 308 and East 161st Street and was tased by State Police trooper Frank Besson when he tried to run away, police said.

Ramos also refused to submit to a breath test, threatened one officer's family and threatened to blow up the Sheriff's Office substation in Galliano, police said.

He is charged with driving without headlights, aggravated flight from an officer, reckless operation, a traffic light violation, operating a vehicle without lawful presence in the United States, making threats, three counts of resisting an officer, fourth-offense DWI, and improper lane usage.

In the second, unrelated, arrest, deputies were called about 2:30 p.m. Saturday to Blackie's restaurant on La. 1 in Lockport on a report that a man was refusing to leave and trying to fight customers.

Juan Beltran, 25, 400 N. Carol St., Lockport, left the po-boy shop before police arrived but was later found bleeding in a wooded area near North Oak Street. Beltran told police his neighbor hit him because Beltran was drunk, police said. Beltran gave deputies a Social Security card and a permanent resident card as identification then later admitted both cards were fake, police said. He was identified by witnesses as the man causing the disturbance at the po-boy shop, police said. He is charged with two counts of disturbing the peace while intoxicated.

Both Beltran and Ramos are in the country illegally, police said. They are being held for transfer to immigration officials for deportation proceedings. Their home countries were not immediately available.