Police officer arrested

Published 12:00 am Saturday, December 23, 2006

FERRIDAY &8212; A Ferriday police officer was arrested Monday in Mayor&8217;s Court.

According to the FPD docket, Officer Shea Dionne Hudnall, 36, 27561 Louisiana 15, was arrested on charges of contempt and simple criminal damage to property.

Hudnall&8217;s bond was set for $381.

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Wednesday, Hudnall said Mayor Gene Allen allegedly held him in contempt for being an hour late for court.

&8220;I&8217;m 36 years old and I&8217;ve never been arrested in my life,&8221; Hudnall said. &8220;I find it very ironic to become a police officer and for me to get arrested.&8221;

On the third Monday of each month at 5 p.m., Allen holds Mayor&8217;s Court, which handles misdemeanor and traffic offenses.

Hudnall said upon coming into the courtroom, located in Ferriday&8217;s city hall building, Allen was already addressing a traffic citation.

Hudnall said he picked up his packet of traffic and incident citation copies and went to wait in a room adjacent to the courtroom.

After Allen finished the case, Hudnall said the mayor called him in the courtroom and allegedly charged him with contempt, which carries a fine of $100 or 10 days in the Concordia Parish jail.

&8220;I thought he was calling me up because I had a case because other officers have been late before,&8221; Hudnall said.

Hudnall said he could not pay the fine so Allen allegedly had Capt. Rickey Hollins arrest, handcuff and take him to the FPD.

Chief Richard Madison said that as Hollins was leaving the courtroom with Hudnall, Hudnall allegedly kicked the exit door, causing it to hit the wall.

Allen then allegedly charged Hudnall with simple criminal damage to property, Hudnall said.

&8220;His actions were unbecoming of a police officer,&8221; Allen said Wednesday.

Madison said he is investigating whether or not any damage was actually caused to the wall.

&8220;The noise was more prevalent than any damage that I could see, but it disrupted court proceedings,&8221; Madison said.

Hudnall said he used his foot to open the door because he was in handcuffs.

Hudnall said he was left at FPD until around 11 p.m. then brought back to the courtroom.

Allen said he dismissed the contempt and criminal damage charges but suspended Hudnall for seven days without pay.

Hudnall said he would look for another job while suspended.