By Evan Johnson - bio | email
GRAND LAKE, LA (KPLC) - What was a routine trip down Lake Misere in Cameron Parish quickly turned into misery for 40-year-old Byron James Armentor of Jennings.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says Armentor and his 12-year-old son were leaving one campsite and heading to their house boat about a mile north, but before they could get there tragedy struck.
Captain Jubal Marceaux says, "They were leaving around 2:00 AM and they hit a tree. It was a fallen tree in the lake with branches extending over the water.
Investigators say upon hitting one of the tree's branches Armentor was thrown into the water while his son Zachary wasn't. Armentor wasn't wearing a life jacket, but Zachary was. Although not thrown out of the boat, Zachary was however struck by one of the branches in the head as he sat in front of the boat, causing massive head trauma leading to his death. Captain Marceaux says Armentor told them he knew the branches were in the water, however he thought they were over far enough to miss them.
According to a report by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, 23 percent of fatal boating accidents between 2005 and 2008 were alcohol related. This incident was allegedly no different. Investigators say Byron Armentor was above the legal limit. He faces charges of reckless operation of a watercraft, vehicular homicide, and DWI with the specific section of child endangerment.
Marceaux explains, "Any child that involved in an accident in a motor vehicle or a watercraft 12-years-old or younger, there are more restrictions as to the sentencing phase."
Armentor has been released from the Cameron Parish Jail on a $22,000 bond.
(Copyright 2009 KPLC-TV. All rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 WorldNow and KPLC, a Raycom Media Station.
