Town Talk staff

A Deville man drove through closed gates of Hooper Cemetery and caused extensive damage to the cemetery that was discovered on Thanksgiving, according to the Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office.

Deputies from the Deville substation were called to the cemetery Thursday to investigate the damage, as were detectives. They found that someone had driven through closed gates to the cemetery and continued driving through the cemetery, "running over several headstones causing extensive damage to the cemetery," reads the release.

Evidence at the scene led detectives to a suspect, 19-year-old Dalton Allen Lacaze of 653 Booner Miller Road. Lacaze was arrested and was booked into the Rapides Parish Detention Center.

He was charged with criminal damage between $500 and $5,000, hit and run, reckless operation and having an open container. Lacaze later was released on a $5,750 bond.