[StBernard] St. Bernard Sheriff Jack Stephens stable, alert after being hospitalized Friday

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard Sheriff Jack Stephens stable, alert after being hospitalized
Friday
by The Times-Picayune 
Friday May 08, 2009, 7:47 PM
Longtime St. Bernard Sheriff Jack Stephens was hospitalized Friday evening
after collapsing during dinner at a downtown restaurant. 

Stephens, 60, was rushed to Tulane Medical Center after he collapsed at
Ruth's Chris Steakhouse near Harrah's Casino. He was stabilized and reported
to be in good spirits later Friday night, according to Chief Deputy Jimmy
Pohlmann of the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office. 

The sheriff was dining with friends and family when he became ill and dizzy,
Pohlmann said. 

Paramedics were called and Stephens was rushed to the hospital. 

Pohlmann said Stephens never lost consciousness and was not sure if Stephens
would spend the night in the hospital. 

"The sheriff's still the sheriff, thank God for that," Pohlmann said. He
added that New Orleans Police Chief Warren Riley, who had stopped by
Stephens' table at the restaurant before the sheriff became ill, had visited
Stephens in the hospital Friday night. 

Stephens took office in 1984 after beating incumbent Sheriff Ralph McDougall
and has since been re-elected six more times, the most recent in fall 2007.