By Pat Culverhouse

Reports of reckless driving on Interstate 20 has rerouted a Mississippi man into Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center following his arrest on alcohol and weapon charges last week.

Webster Parish Sheriff Jason Parker said 53-year-old Bernaldo Parzynski Loftin of Oak Vale, MS, is being held on charges of possession of a stolen firearm, felon in possession of a firearm, DWI and possession of alcohol in a vehicle. His bond is set $1,001.

Parker said deputies responding to reports of a reckless driver on the westbound interstate learned the suspect had exited I-20 at Dixie Inn. A brief search located the suspect’s vehicle in the parking lot of a truck stop at the intersection of U.S. Hwy 371 and U.S. Hwy 80.

Deputies reportedly found the driver, Loftin, passed out in the driver’s front seat of the vehicle with the motor still running. After removing Loftin from the vehicle, deputies reportedly observed a firearm located between the driver’s seat and console and an open bottle of liquor inside the console.

Information gathered by deputies revealed the firearm was stolen in Mississippi and a background check showed Loftin was a convicted felon.

This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.