LEONARD GRAY

LULING – A second arrest was made Thursday in the Aug. 4 beating of Justin “Pee Wee” Dufrene of Luling. Wesley Price, 19, of 17124 Louisiana Highway 631, Des Allemands, was booked with being a principal to attempted homicide and also simple battery. Capt. Patrick Yoes of the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office said one of Dufrene’s friends attempted to stop the alleged beating and was punched by Price to keep him from breaking it up. Bond was set on Price at $200,750 by District Judge Robert Chaisson. Meanwhile, Dufrene is making progress and family members are hopeful he could recover from his extensive injuries sustained in an Aug. 4 beating at a party, according to a family spokesman. He has been hospitalized at Ochsner Hospital since an Aug. 4 party on Monsanto Avenue where an alleged beating by a party-crasher resulted in his severe head injuries. He had surgery Aug. 16 to relieve the swelling, which appears to have improved his condition, though he remains in critical condition at the hospital’s intensive care unit. His uncle, Grant Dufrene, added that Justin is still battling pneumonia for nearly two weeks, he has daily CAT scans, but has been unresponsive for the past two days. Previously, he was able to respond by hand-squeezes. Meanwhile, a fund has been established at Hibernia Bank in his name, where supporters can offer financial assistance for Dufrene’s family, who face staggering hospital costs and anticipate equally staggering rehabilitative and recovery costs. Dufrene was diagnosed with a skull fracture, brain trauma and internal brain bleeding after the alleged attack. Shawn J. Trehan, 20, of Des Allemands, is charged with attempted homicide and remains in custody.