Suspect in Chief of Police stabbing to be held without bond

The person accused of stabbing Turkey Creek Police Chief Robert Glenn Leggett was ordered by Judge Gary Ortego to be held without bond pending trial after a hearing was held Monday afternoon. One of the main factors was Zachary Deville’s criminal history following his early release from prison on November 1, 2017.
According to Article 313, Judge Ortego found that the state proved its case to show that Deville poses “a susbstantial risk to flee and poses an imminent danger to any other person or to the community.”
Judge Ortego also took into consideration the seriousness of Deville’s crime of attempted first degree murder along with his previous criminal record.
At the beginning of the hearing, Evangeline Parish District Attorney Trent Brignac and Deville’s attorney Alex Chapman stipulated that Deville was released from prison last year after being sentenced on May 3, 2012, to serve nine years at hard labor with a year and a half of that to be suspended. At that time, he was also placed on five years active supervised probation.
Deputy Caleb Stelly with the Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office and the victim Chief Leggett testified as to Deville’s criminal history since his early release date. The history began less than a week after his release with Deville being accused of four counts of resisting an officer.
Deputy Stelly testified as to other incidents involving Deville that occurred on November 14. “I was present on a call where Mr. Deville was charged with trespassing and was released on site,” he stated. “He was witnessed and caught on a subject’s property off of Wilson Campbell Road, and the subject held him at gun point until myself and another deputy arrived.”
Deville is also accused in connection of a theft of a motor vehicle that occurred on March 25 that was two days before the current charges.
As to Deville’s current charges, Chief Leggett testified as to what led up to him being stabbed in the face. “Zack had gone over to somebody’s house passing on their property,” he stated. “The Kings had called me and told me that they didn’t want him on the property. That was around 3:00 in the afternoon.”
He continued, “Then, around 6:45, I was at a town meeting and got a call from Mrs. King that Zachary Deville had come over there and knocked on her door. She said that she was scared and asked if I would go over there. I went over there, and he had already left and went back across the street where he was living. That’s where everything took place.”
Chief Leggett received stab wounds to the left side of his face and a puncture wound at the bottom part of his neck. He testified that, “My blood got so low that my blood pressure had failed, and I was about to pass out.”
The chief also testified that Deville poses a threat to the community “because of the drugs.” He added, “He thinks he can do just whatever he wants, and he does cause a scare especially like in this case where the wife was home by herself with her kids. It caused a very big scare.”
District Attorney Investigator Marcus Aucoin also testified as to an incident in 2015 where Deville was arrested for escape from the Basile facility along with criminal damage to property over $500.00. Deville also has outstanding bench warrant against him as to his other pending charges.
In a separate matter, Deville is charged with possession of drugs, simple battery, and aggravated assault. These charges resulted with an incident involving Turkey Creek Village Councilman Joey Ducote that happened after the stabbing of Chief Leggett. Deville’s bond on these charges was set at $15,000.00, and his arraignment date for both incidents is set for May 3, 2018, at 9:00 a.m. before Judge Ortego.