WAFB Channel 9, Baton Rouge, LA |Deadly traffic stop raises questions
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Donel Adam Stogner (Picture source: Family)
Picture source: Livingston Parish Sheriff's OfficeBy David Spunt - email
HOLDEN, LA (WAFB) - Many questions are being asked after the death of a Walker man just minutes after a traffic stop and struggle on Interstate 12 near Holden in Livingston Parish.
Sunday morning, a Livingston Parish deputy spotted a car on I-12 heading toward Holden around 4:00am. The car, driven by Donel Adam Stogner, 42, was reportedly weaving in and out of traffic. The deputy pulled Stogner over and according to the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office, the driver had what appeared to be drugs in his hand.
"That's when a long struggle ensued, almost seven minutes, and it's all on videotape," said Chief Deputy Jason Ard with the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office. Because this is an open investigation, a copy of the tape could not be released to the media.
Ard says backup arrived on the scene and not long after, Stogner was complaining of shortness of breath. He was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. "Anytime you deal with a death, no matter how it comes, it's serious," Ard said. He says he stands behind the deputies involved in the incident and is confident they acted within the law. Stogner's family members say they are waiting to see how everything plays out.
Stogner's criminal record shows several arrests over the past few years, including a methamphetamine drug charge just last week. The Livingston Parish Coroner's Office says it is not ready to release an official cause of death at this time.
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