A St. Mary Parish Sheriff's deputy has been arrested and fired, accused of lying about use of a department vehicle.
Michael Swords, 71, of Patterson, was arrested on January 10, 2025, at 3:20 pm on a warrant for malfeasance in office.
The accusation is in connection with the use of a sheriff's fleet vehicle, which was involved in a crash with an emergency services vehicle from another agency.
The crash investigation uncovered that Swords had "intentionally provided inaccurate information regarding the operation of the department vehicle," deputies allege.
The sheriff's office then launched an internal investigation, which concluded that Swords violated internal policies and state law. Swords was terminated, and the warrant was obtained.
Swords was transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. Bail was set at $25,000.
"It is never pleasant to have to arrest one of our own," said Sheriff Gary Driskell. "However, we must hold ourselves as law enforcement officers to the same standard as all citizens. Upholding the law and maintaining public trust are essential to our mission."
