By Vickie Welborn • vwelborn@gannett.com • July 10, 2009

A state trooper was booked today for allegedly roughing up a Red River Parish district judge during a traffic stop June 29 in the courthouse parking lot.


Trooper Eric Schonfarber, a 14-year state police veteran, was arrested this morning after turning himself into Red River Parish sheriff’s authorities on three warrants signed late Thursday afternoon by a New Orleans district judge. The warrants charge Schonfarber with aggravated assault, simple battery and false imprisonment.


Schonfarber was working this morning when he was called to the Troop G headquarters in Bossier City. An internal investigation had been ongoing since the incident involving District Judge Lewis Sams took place.


“We don’t know precisely what happened after our trooper stopped the judge for not wearing a seat belt, but we’re going to find out. As soon as we learned that a confrontation between the trooper and the judge had occurred, we began an internal administrative inquiry. We hope to wrap that investigation soon and will share our findings. If those findings deem further action on our part, we’ll do what is necessary and appropriate,” state police Col. Mike Edmonson said in a news release.


Schonfarber initiated the traffic stop after spotting Sams without his seat belt on. Sams had just left the courthouse and was making a quick return trip when Schonfarber pulled into the courthouse parking lot behind him.


Schonfarber asked for Sams’ identification and he complied. The trooper informed him of the violation and Sams admitted he was not wearing a seat belt. Sams told the trooper to write the ticket.


During the discussion, Sams identified himself as a district judge and Schonfarber asked to see a badge that was in Sams’ wallet. Sams refused, saying he wasn’t going to use his position to get out of a ticket.


That’s when the confrontation allegedly became physical. Schonfarber pulled out his Taser and threatened the judge, and also threw him onto the hood of his patrol car. A Red River Parish constable and occupants of the courthouse witnessed the events.

Schonfarber released the judge and issued the seat belt violation.


While all personally assigned state police vehicles are equipped with in-car video recording systems, Schonfarber was using a pool unit while his vehicle was out of service. Pool vehicles do not have the recording equipment, so there is no video of the incident, Edmonson said in the news release.

“We know that nothing is more important than public confidence in this agency, and I intend to maintain that confidence. Neither our troopers nor those they come in contact with are above the law,” Edmonson said.

During the discussion, Sams identified himself as a district judge and Schonfarber asked to see a badge that was in Sams’ wallet. Sams refused, saying he wasn’t going to use his position to get out of a ticket.

What I found unusual in this story is that it didn't get physical until the judge asked for the ticket and refused to "badge" his way out of it. Hence, my "WTF?"

Gotta keep in mind that it is a newspaper report.
Who knows what got left out and what got screwed up by the reporters lack of comprehension.

Something has to have been left out, because like tman says, the judge's refusal to badge out couldn't be the spark that ignited this situation. It simply doesn't make sense for any reason. Something else has to have happened.