This past Thursday, Washington Parish Sheriff's Office deputies were summoned to a campground adjacent to the fairgrounds on a report of a man threatening others with a knife.
Washington Parish deputies, accompanied by Bogalusa Police Department officers and officers from Rayburn Correctional Center, encountered a camper who reported a man wearing a cowboy hat was threatening people with a knife. The victim pointed out a nearby camper where the alleged assailant was staying.
When officers approached the camper, they encountered William Benny Creel, 54, a resident of Camp Road. Creel appeared to be intoxicated and refused all verbal orders from the officers. Creel was subdued and handcuffed after a brief struggle during which he tried to reach into a pants pocket. Officers then located a fixed blade knife, a set of brass knuckles and a .38 caliber derringer pistol on Creel's person.
Creel was arrested and transported to the Washington Parish Jail charged with aggravated assault, being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of resisting a police officer with force or violence. He was released the following day after posting bond.
CreWilel, a former Washington Parish deputy sheriff, has no previous stays in the Washington Parish Jail, but he was convicted of a federal offense in 2010 and sentenced in 2011 to twelve months federal prison time and 24 months supervised federal probation. Creel’s federal conviction involved making a false statement to a federal agent. The federal agent was investigating Creel’s connection with a motorcycle gang that was allegedly involved in criminal activities.
Regarding Creel’s arrest at the recent Washington Parish Fair, Sheriff Randy Seal said, "This is a family fair and we have no tolerance for violence or any other misbehavior. I'm pleased no one was injured and I thank both the Bogalusa Police Department and Rayburn Correctional Center for their assistance."
