THIBODAUX – A determined deputy in Lafourche Parish finally captured a fugitive who had escaped his grasp twice in nine days.
The deputy first encountered 26-year-old James Tardo in the 500 block of St. Charles Bypass Road in Thibodaux on May 7, according to Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre.
Tardo, who had an active warrant out for his arrest, answered the door at the residence and was quickly arrested and placed in handcuffs.
Tardo’s father, 45-year-old James Hicks, was also arrested at the same time for his own outstanding arrest warrants.
While the deputy was handcuffing Hicks, Tardo, who was still wearing handcuffs, fled into a nearby swamp and escaped.
Hicks was taken into custody and faces two contempt of court charges.
On May 10, the same deputy returned to the same stretch of road looking for Tardo, according to Webre.
The deputy spotted Tardo at the edge of the swampy area, but Tardo again managed to escape into the wilderness.
On the evening of May 15, the deputy returned to St. Charles Bypass Road and pulled over a vehicle that Tardo has been known to use in the past.
Tardo sprang from the vehicle as soon as it came to a stop and began heading for the same swampy area, but the deputy was able to capture him this time, Webre said.
Tardo was booked with contempt of court from his original warrant, and faces additional charges of simple escape, resisting an officer, and theft from the May 7 incident, and he was charged with possession of methamphetamine and resisting an officer in the May 15th incident.
His bond is set at $87,500, according to Webre.