La. trooper shot, wounded in I-10 traffic stop

**lewisipso** · 07-04-10, 06:52 AM

La. trooper shot, wounded in I-10 traffic stop

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - A Louisiana trooper is in stable condition after being shot while attempting a traffic stop on Interstate 10 west of Baton Rouge.

State Police Lt. Doug Cain says the shooting happened around 12:15 p.m. Saturday.

The trooper was attempting to pull over a white van with Texas plates and followed it down an off-ramp between Baton Rouge and Lafayette.

La. trooper shot, wounded in I-10 traffic stop - WAFB Channel 9, Baton Rouge, LA |

My Lt. just advised me that we are in this video. I didn't know they filmed us.

http://www.wbrz.com/news/update-2-me...state-trooper/

A Louisiana State Trooper is in stable condition after being shot in the stomach and leg during a routine traffic stop this afternoon.

Louisiana State Police arrested two men, and believe Robert Daniel Armendariz, 21, of El Paso, Tx. was the triggerman.

It happened on I-10 eastbound on the Whiskey Bay Bridge near the Ramah exit.

Officials say Armendariz and passenger Fabian Cruz Herrera, 20, of Houston, Tx. fled the scene in their vehicle, were pulled over by Louisiana State Police, and taken into custody near the town of Henderson in St. Martin Parish.

News 2 spoke with the owner of the van, a company that sells vintage organs. He said Armendariz and Herrera were hired to transport the organ from Houston, Tx. to Gulfport, Miss.

It was a cash job, according to the company owner, and the two men were not supposed to be carrying anything other than the organ.

I won't release the name either since it was not released to the media. Medical, one of my guys and myself were the first ones on scene. Suspects were gone prior to our arrival. Trooper did an excellent job of remaining composed enough to give a vehicle description, plate, as well as occupants. His injuries are not life threatening.
I took a photo of the bullet hole through the front fender as my own personal reminder of how fast it can go bad. His ticket book was still on the ground when I got there. Motive as of yet is still unknown to us. Kudos to the Troop for finding and arresting the suspects so quickly.

**Odd** · 07-04-10, 06:57 AM

Glad his injuries aren't life threatening. Quick and complete on your recovery, trooper.

Keep yourself safe, Lew.

**HudsonHawk** · 07-04-10, 07:24 AM

This year is getting worse and worse with LODD's. I'm glad this Trooper's name will not be on the wall. Prayers sent for a speedy recovery!

**Second Chance** · 07-04-10, 08:08 AM

We were stacked up on I-10, just waiting for them to hit Lafayette, but they never made it this far. I agree great news about his injuries could have been a lot worse. Awesome job State for catching them...........;-)

**lewisipso** · 07-04-10, 08:54 AM

I was just about to call you when they advised they were in custody. I was just going to take a chance that you were working.

**2 Blue 4 U** · 07-04-10, 11:02 AM

Well Wishes for a Full and Speedy recovery.

Thankfully, the injuries are not life threatening and the perps are apprehended. But WTH is going on, it seems like it open season on LEO's. The word Routine traffic stop makes me cringe, no such thing, every traffic stop is dangerous and has to be treated as such. Be careful, Be Safe!

**Mark7** · 07-04-10, 05:25 PM

Prayers to the Trooper for a speedy recovery.

Too bad the shooter wasn't brought in at room temperature. . .

**kjlaw** · 07-04-10, 05:51 PM

Just to give everyone an Update the Trooper was released this morning from the hospital and is resting at home.

**TXCharlie** · 07-04-10, 06:49 PM

Thank goodness the Trooper's injuries aren't as bad as they could have been. Sounds like a tough recovery ahead of him but hoping it is complete. It's a very good sign that he's already home!

It strikes me as a very odd story that a company would have trusted the delivery van PLUS an expensive organ to cash employees that they apparently knew very little about.

**Second Chance** · 07-04-10, 07:15 PM

Originally Posted by lewisipso

I was just about to call you when they advised they were in custody. I was just going to take a chance that you were working.

Our dispatchers did a very good job the two precincts' that border I-10, they removed us from our calls if we were on one, and we all headed to I-10. We were 10 cars deep, just waiting............;-)

**TXCharlie** · 07-04-10, 07:28 PM

Sounds like they didn't have a prayer of getting away from y'all

**Buttercup** · 07-04-10, 08:40 PM

Originally Posted by kjlaw

Just to give everyone an Update the Trooper was released this morning from the hospital and is resting at home.

That's great news!

**CTR man** · 07-04-10, 10:28 PM

Louisiana State Police arrested two men, and believe Robert Daniel Armendariz, 21, of El Paso, Tx. was the triggerman.

Officials say Armendariz and passenger Fabian Cruz Herrera, 20, of Houston, Tx. fled the scene in their vehicle, were pulled over by Louisiana State Police, and taken into custody near the town of Henderson in St. Martin Parish.

News 2 spoke with the owner of the van, a company that sells vintage organs. He said Armendariz and Herrera were hired to transport the organ from Houston, Tx. to Gulfport, Miss.

It was a cash job, according to the company owner, and the two men were not supposed to be carrying anything other than the organ.

WBRZ News 2 Louisiana : Baton Rouge, LA | UPDATE: 2 men arrested in shooting of La. State Trooper

La. trooper shot, wounded in I-10 traffic stop - WAFB Channel 9, Baton Rouge, LA |

Originally Posted by TXCharlie

It strikes me as a very odd story that a company would have trusted the delivery van PLUS an expensive organ to cash employees that they apparently knew very little about.

I was wondering that myself. Especially this Armendariz character. Article states that he is from El Paso but he is working with this organ delivery company based out of Houston? What's he doing, looking for work? El Paso is quite the distance from Houston. Clear across the state, I might add.

Herrera might have been along for the ride, but then again maybe not.

Organ company hires young 20 something's to deliver an organ across state lines on a cash job? Was the organ paid for ahead of time? I'd be interested to know if this was a ruse to transport some sort of contraband and the organ company is covering something up or these guys were making their own delivery on the side.

Another thing, what's a 21 year old doing with a gun? Sure, it might be legal in some states but his responsibility factor is severely lacking.

Originally Posted by lewisipso

Trooper did an excellent job of remaining composed enough to give a vehicle description, plate, as well as occupants. His injuries are not life threatening.

I took a photo of the bullet hole through the front fender as my own personal reminder of how fast it can go bad. His ticket book was still on the ground when I got there. Motive as of yet is still unknown to us. Kudos to the Troop for finding and arresting the suspects so quickly.

Thank God for that. An Angel was definitely watching over that officer that day. ( Sorry, I have a hard time with the term "Trooper". If you call a California Highway Patrol officer a Trooper, they get pissed. Something to do with the way the agency is funded. )

Nice reminder there, Lewis. There is no such thing as a routine traffic stop, so I am told.

What was that police car? A Dodge Intrepid? I thought that police agencies only used police package cars such as the Crown Victoria, Impala, and Charger. At first in the video clip I could see officer messing with the decal on the fender, but as I watched it more I could see the bullet hole on the outside upper curve of the "S".

Originally Posted by TXCharlie

Sounds like they didn't have a prayer of getting away from y'all

In a van and with the sheer numbers of police vehicles available to help with the stop? Not likely. Outrunning radio or phone frequencies is impossible.

**iso607** · 07-05-10, 01:44 AM

Originally Posted by CTR man

What was that police car? A Dodge Intrepid? I thought that police agencies only used police package cars such as the Crown Victoria, Impala, and Charger.

Chevy Camaro

Glad to hear the trooper is recovering from his injuries. Could have been a lot worse.

**Captain America** · 07-05-10, 01:56 AM

Prayers for a full and speedy recovery

**CTR man** · 07-05-10, 03:08 AM

Originally Posted by iso607

Chevy Camaro

Glad to hear the trooper is recovering from his injuries. Could have been a lot worse.

Ah, forgot about those. Not normally seen. We have or had a few of those up our way, along with some Ford Mustangs. Usually relegated to traffic on the interstates and with the CHP. Now that I view the video again, I can see that the car has 2 doors. The Intrepid has 4.

I guess it was not the officer's time to go. Hopefully he can get back to work soon.