LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / July 26, 2000

MONTZ – A drug-induced crime spree in two parishes climaxed Saturday morning with the shooting death of a Montz convenience store owner. Thealleged gunman was arrested Saturday afternoon.

Luan Minh Nguyen, 43, of 101 W. Club Drive, St. Rose, owner of Harry’sOne-Stop at the corner of River Road and Hollywood Park Drive, was shot and killed with his own .380 automatic as he tried to defend his storefrom a robber.

That afternoon, Danial M. Perrilloux Sr., 25, of 353 Norco St., Norco, wasapprehended on the Bonnet Carre Spillway road between Montz and Norco by a St. Charles Parish deputy.”It was a 16-hour crime spree, strung out on dope,” St. John Sheriff WayneL. Jones commented.Perrilloux appeared Monday afternoon before 29th Judicial District Judge Emile St. Pierre. No bond was set, and his arraignment was set on Aug. 15,at 10 a.m., before Judge Kirk Granier.The alleged “spree” began Saturday just after 2 a.m. when Perrillouxreportedly robbed the night clerk at the Holiday Inn on U.S. Highway 51 inLaPlace. The suspect was armed with a screwdriver and made away with$311. He escaped driving a silver Chrysler, which a family member saidbelonged to Perrilloux’s wife.

Just prior to 10 a.m. Saturday, according to Lt. Dwayne LaGrange of the St.Charles Sheriff’s Office, Perrilloux entered the One-Stop and forced Nguyen behind the counter, where the pair struggled and Nguyen lost his gun with which he was defending himself.

Perrilloux then fired once, LaGrange said, striking Nguyen in the forehead and killing him. He then ran out of the store where an unidentified femalecustomer was arriving in time to see him flee.

Perrilloux then fired at the woman, LaGrange said, because she “eyeballed” him. Two bullets missed her completely, and the third shotfired sent a bullet into the roof of the woman’s Jeep Cherokee, where it lodged.

Afterward, LaGrange added, Perrilloux made his way to a LaPlace motel where it is believed he acquired and consumed more drugs. He then set outagain for a third robbery.

At 3:55 p.m., St. John Sheriff Wayne L. Jones said, Perrilloux entered theKart and Karry at E. Airline Highway and McReine Road, armed with a tireiron, and attempted to rob that store.

Instead, the owner of the store jumped on Perrilloux’s back and tried to subdue him. At the same time the owner’s wife beat Perrilloux on thehead with a broom handle, cutting his head open. Perrilloux fled from thestore and headed toward the levee.

“My biggest concern,” Jones said, “was that when one is that high, you just continue on. There’s no question in my mind that he would’vecontinued on.”Chief Joseph Cardella of the St. Charles Sheriff’s Office said Perrillouxwas finally caught at 4:09 p.m. as headed toward Norco on the SpillwayRoad after the car he was driving stalled. He was taken into custodywithout resistance by Cpl. Patrick Walker, Deputy Walter Bank andDetective-Sgt. Rodney Madere. Perrilloux was booked in St. Charles Parish with first-degree murder,attempted first-degree murder and armed robbery. He was also booked inSt. John Parish with robbery, attempted robbery and aggravated battery.At his initial court hearing Monday, Perrilloux entered and glanced quickly at his family, then sat quietly with his head down to await being called before the bench. Judge St. Pierre scheduled the next court appearance andappointed indigent defenders Greg Hill and Maria Chaisson to represent him.

During the hearing, case officer Detective Walter Fonseca amended his earlier affidavit to declare that Perrilloux’s single gunshot to Nguyen’s forehead caused the victim’s death. That occurred during a carrying out afelony, that is, an armed robbery, making the charge against Perrilloux first-degree murder.

Perrilloux’s uncle, Quince Perrilloux, said he and other family members were present in the courtroom “just to support him and let him know we love him.”However, the elder Perrilloux added, “Somebody owes that family (of the shooting victim) an apology from us.”

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