By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

HAHNVILLE – A LaPlace man accused of shooting his Des Allemands girlfriend several times in 2007 is in custody in St. Charles Parish following an unrelated arrest in Mississippi.

Roy McDaniel, 30, of 1061 Whitlow Court was charged with attempted first-degree murder for shooting his girlfriend during an argument in the Bonnet Carre Spillway, said Sgt. Dwayne LaGrange, a spokesman for the St. Charles Sheriff’s Office. LaGrange said McDaniel was booked into the Nelson Coleman Correctional Facility in Killona on April 12 after serving time in Mississippi for unrelated burglary charges.

LaGrange said McDaniel was driving back to LaPlace from Mississippi with his girlfriend on April 23, 2007, when the two began arguing with each other.

“Both individuals had been arguing most of the day, and it went on for some time until McDaniel eventually pulled his car over at his girlfriend’s request,” LaGrange said. “They pulled over in a secluded area of the spillway, and the girlfriend exited the vehicle and walked away. As she walked back toward the vehicle, McDaniel allegedly pulled out a gun and opened fire, shooting her multiple times.”

According to a report from the Sheriff’s Office, the girlfriend was struck five times. Three bullets hit her left arm, one struck the stomach, and another hit her in the chest just above the heart.

Following the shooting, McDaniel helped his girlfriend back into the car and drover her to River Parishes Hospital in LaPlace, LaGrange said.

She was later transferred to University Hospital in New Orleans, where she underwent emergency surgery.

“The girlfriend likely survived the shooting because McDaniel quickly got her to the hospital after the incident,” LaGrange said. “After dropping her at the emergency room, McDaniel immediately fled the scene.”

While on the run from St. Charles Parish, McDaniel was arrested in Mississippi on the unrelated charges. LaGrange said McDaniel served out his sentence in Mississippi and was extradited to St. Charles to be booked on the attempted murder charge.