Livingston Parish Councilman Dean Coates was arrested Friday evening, April 18, 2025, on a charge of first-offense driving while intoxicated (DWI) following a traffic stop in Springfield.
According to the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office, deputies stopped Coates around 6 p.m. after observing him speeding, drifting between lanes, and driving with an expired inspection sticker. Upon approaching the vehicle, deputies detected the smell of alcohol. Coates declined to take a breathalyzer test, prompting deputies to obtain a blood sample for testing. As of Monday, the results of that test were still pending.
Coates, a retired Louisiana State Police trooper elected to the District 8 council seat in 2023, was cited at the scene but not booked into the parish jail. Therefore, no booking photo was taken.
In a public statement posted to Facebook, Coates expressed remorse, "I take full responsibility for my actions—there is no excuse. I made a serious mistake that could have endangered others, and I am deeply sorry." He added, "As an elected official, I am held to a higher standard, and I intend to earn back the trust I’ve broken."
Coates also indicated he is cooperating fully with the legal process and taking steps to ensure such an incident does not happen again.
