St. Bernard Parish deputies searching for man believed to have driven off Chalmette Ferry

ST. BERNARD PARISH, La. (WGNO) — Deputies with the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office are searching for a Harahan man after a car drove off the Chalmette Ferry on March 16.

The SBSO reported that deputies responded to a call of a pickup truck driving off the ferry and landing in the Mississippi River around 2:22 a.m.

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On Thursday, SBSO officials announced deputies are searching for 54-year-old Roland Emile Messa, who they believe was driving the truck.

Through an investigation, SBSO deputies said witnesses told them a man was seen swimming away from the truck, “but he disappeared under the water and never resurfaced.”

SBSO detectives said they identified Messa as the driver after viewing surveillance footage.

St. Bernard Parish Sheriff James Pohlmann said SBSO detectives, the Coast Guard and Harbor Police conducted a search but did not find him.

The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information about Messa or the incident can call the SBSO at 504-271-2501, the Criminal Investigations Bureau at 504-271-TIPS or 8477, or Crimestoppers GNO at 504-822-1111.

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