Louisiana

ZURIK: Fake license plates plague southeast Louisiana roads

Published

2 years ago

May 23, 2024

ZURIK: Fake license plates plague southeast Louisiana roads

KENNER, La. (WVUE) – Fake license plates are creating safety concerns on southeast Louisiana roads and leaving victims helpless.

Amanda Holman experienced the issue firsthand when she was hit by a car with a fake temporary license plate.

“I was on the interstate, right past the Transcontinental Overpass on my way home from work,” she recalled. “There’s traffic always in that curve by Veterans going towards Kenner. I slowed down and got hit from the back by a car.”

They pulled over, but the police never came.

The other driver didn’t speak English and, fearing for her safety on the side of the interstate, Holman left the scene after photographing the tags.

“I was like, well, at least if I take a picture of the license plate, that should help,” she said.

Tracking down the other driver turned out to be impossible. Holman later discovered the plate was counterfeit.

Fake license plates on Southeast Louisiana roads are causing safety and insurance concerns(Kenner Police)

There are likely thousands of fake license plates on southeast Louisiana roads. Over a few week, Fox 8 took pictures of license plates and cross-referenced them with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

Fox 8 found 719 fake temp tags in parishes all over the area. Fifteen vehicles had the same license plate number, 18347697. All were allegedly issued by Alexandria-based company Gladiator. The OMV says that tag number was issued once in 2009 to an auto group in Hammond.

Fourteen cars across the metro area had the license plate number 19072146. The labeling on who issued it varied from vehicle to vehicle.

According to law enforcement, fake license plates usually indicate uninsured drivers.

Holman had to pay for the damages to her car with her insurance.

“We already have the highest insurance rates in the country,” she said. “My insurance is now almost double. I pay $663 a month for two vehicles because I had to claim my own insurance.”

The car that hit Holman had a temp tag registered to Crosy Auto Title in Tickfaw. Terri Crosby closed that business six years ago but says she feels victimized by plates popping up all across the metro area with her former company’s name.

“A name that I used to use… of a business that’s been closed since 2018. And faking fraudulent documents and fraudulent temp tags, which is putting the public at risk,” she said. “And you go hire an attorney and the attorney can’t help you.”

She says she has gotten calls from roughly 100 law enforcement agencies ranging from nearby Jefferson and Tanigpahoa parishes, to as far away as Bridgewater, New Jersey, and New York City.

“I’ve never been to New Jersey. I don’t know anybody that lives in New Jersey. But the police officers said that this particular one in New Jersey was used in the commission of a crime,” Crosby said.

Crosby provided Fox 8 with receipts she’s obtained from buyers of the fake temp tags with her company’s name. Someone, using a fake OMV document with a fake Crosby email address, is charging up to $6,000 for counterfeit tags.

Some 20% of over 700 temp tags Fox 8 spotted had the Crosby Auto Title name on them.

Fox 8 easily found a Crosby tag on the internet. Ready to print and be fraudulently stuck on the back of a car. Crosby says it’s ruining her name and reputation.

“It’s the most important thing, I think, I live for. Other than my family and God. That is who we are. To see this, it hurts. It’s so puzzling because it’s like, just another form of crime that we’re experiencing now. There’s no way to stop criminals who want to be criminals,” Crosby said.

ZURIK INVESTIGATIONS

Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley says he’s trying to stop it.

“This is the number one threat to the residents here in Kenner,” he said. “This problem is of grave concern to law enforcement. And it should be to every community in the area.”

“They can cause bodily harm with no recourse and harm to your car with no recourse,” Crosby said. “Then you’re stuck with a bill from somebody who was fraudulent.”

Conley says he has teams of officers working the street. In the last 10 weeks, Kenner police have confiscated 70 fake tags.

“Over half of them had no insurance attached to the vehicle. Some of the vehicles weren’t even registered. They have what they call skeleton VIN numbers, that they should be in a salvage yard,” Conley said.

“Somebody has to be able to stop this,” Holman said. “These should be something you could just duplicate on your home computer or make a copy of and have no ramifications. We are all paying ridiculous insurance prices in this state already and this is just making it worse.”

“I’m not sure if there’s an easy answer to this, but we’re gonna have to figure something out,” Conley said. “It’s scary.”

See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Click Here to report it. Please include the headline.

Subscribe to the Fox 8 YouTube channel.

Source link

Click to comment

Louisiana

Louisiana Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for March 3, 2026

Published

10 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

The Louisiana Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 3, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from March 3 drawing

07-21-53-54-62, Mega Ball: 16

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 3 drawing

6-8-3

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from March 3 drawing

3-6-7-4

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from March 3 drawing

0-8-3-2-0

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Louisiana Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Louisiana Lottery offices. Prizes of over $5,000 must be claimed at Lottery office.

By mail, follow these instructions:

Sign and complete the information on the back of your winning ticket, ensuring all barcodes are clearly visible (remove all scratch-off material from scratch-off tickets).
Photocopy the front and back of the ticket (except for Powerball and Mega Millions tickets, as photocopies are not accepted for these games).
Complete the Louisiana Lottery Prize Claim Form, including your telephone number and mailing address for prize check processing.
Photocopy your valid driver’s license or current picture identification.

Mail all of the above in a single envelope to:

Louisiana Lottery Headquarters

555 Laurel Street

Baton Rouge, LA 70801

To submit in person, visit Louisiana Lottery headquarters:

555 Laurel Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70801, (225) 297-2000.

Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.

Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Louisiana Lottery.

When are the Louisiana Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5: Daily at 9:59 p.m. CT.
Easy 5: 9:59 p.m. CT Wednesday and Saturday.
Lotto: 9:59 p.m. CT Wednesday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Louisiana editor. You can send feedback using this form.

Source link

Louisiana

Brother of Louisiana mayor accused of raping 16-year-old has a hauntingly similar criminal past

Published

22 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Brother of Louisiana mayor accused of raping 16-year-old has a hauntingly similar criminal past

The brother of Louisiana mayor Misty Roberts — accused of raping her son’s teenage friend — is facing child sex crimes of his own.

Brandon Lee Roberts, 39, was accused of raping a teen girl and assaulting a young woman over the course of several years, KALB reported.

Brandon Lee Roberts, 39, is accused of raping a teen girl and assaulting a young woman over the course of several years. Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Office

The alleged sexual abuse began when one of the victims was as young as 13, according to Beauregard Parish Sheriff Mark Herford.

He was arrested in October.

Booking photo of Misty Clanton Roberts. — Brandon’s sister, Misty, the ex-mayor of DeRidder, Louisiana, allegedly raped her son’s teenage friend. AP

That comes years after his big sister – ex-mayor of DeRidder, 43-year-old Misty Roberts – allegedly got hot and heavy with her son’s 16-year-old friend at a drunken party at their home.

Roberts was allegedly caught in the tryst by her own kids.

She was arrested months later, and is currently on trial for rape charges.

Source link

Louisiana

Louisiana Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for March 2, 2026

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

The Louisiana Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 2, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from March 2 drawing

02-17-18-38-62, Powerball: 20, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 2 drawing

3-9-9

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from March 2 drawing

4-1-1-0

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from March 2 drawing

0-5-2-9-5

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

By mail, follow these instructions:

Sign and complete the information on the back of your winning ticket, ensuring all barcodes are clearly visible (remove all scratch-off material from scratch-off tickets).
Photocopy the front and back of the ticket (except for Powerball and Mega Millions tickets, as photocopies are not accepted for these games).
Complete the Louisiana Lottery Prize Claim Form, including your telephone number and mailing address for prize check processing.
Photocopy your valid driver’s license or current picture identification.

Mail all of the above in a single envelope to:

Louisiana Lottery Headquarters

555 Laurel Street

Baton Rouge, LA 70801

To submit in person, visit Louisiana Lottery headquarters:

555 Laurel Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70801, (225) 297-2000.

Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.

Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Louisiana Lottery.

When are the Louisiana Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5: Daily at 9:59 p.m. CT.
Easy 5: 9:59 p.m. CT Wednesday and Saturday.
Lotto: 9:59 p.m. CT Wednesday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Louisiana editor. You can send feedback using this form.

Source link