[StBernard] Chalmette man hospitalized after being shot by girlfriend

[Westley Annis]

Chalmette man hospitalized after being shot by girlfriend

Published: Wednesday, January 19, 2011, 1:58 PM     Updated: Wednesday,
January 19, 2011, 2:03 PM

 By The Times-Picayune 

A Chalmette woman shot her boyfriend during an argument in their home early
Sunday, the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office said.

Dianne Flowers, 46, 3325 Decomine Drive, took the victim to a hospital with
a chest wound, where they both initially lied about the incident, the
sheriff's office said.

Flowers and the victim, Sylvain Johnson, 45, went to University Hospital in
New Orleans and said the shooting happened on the West Bank, prompting
officials to call the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office, which later called
St. Bernard authorities, Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

When St. Bernard Parish sheriff's detectives went to the couple's house
Sunday evening, Flowers agreed to a search of the home, Pohlmann said. She
told them she shot Johnson during an argument inside but claimed she was a
victim of domestic abuse.

Flowers was booked with aggravated second-degree battery and was released
Tuesday from St. Bernard Parish Prison on $50,000 bond.

When detectives searched the home, they found blood stains in several rooms
and evidence that several shots had been fired from a .25-caliber handgun,
including one that destroyed a television in one room and another that hit a
ceiling, Pohlmann said.

The couple had quarreled early Sunday morning after they returned home from
a party, Pohlmann said. Flowers shot the television and when they struggled
another shot hit his hand and apparently deflected into his upper chest,
Pohlmann said. Flowers said Johnson hid the gun, which hasn't been
recovered.

Neither called authorities, Pohlmann said. Flowers brought Johnson to
University Hospital, where they said he was shot in an incident in Marrero.

Johnson was initially listed in critical condition but his condition has
since improved, Pohlmann said.