Lafayette man charged with multiple felonies after allegedly running stop sign

After a Lafayette man was pulled over for allegedly running a stop sign, he was charged with multiple felonies, including possession of a firearm and driving while intoxicated, a probable cause affidavit reads.

A Lafayette Police Department officer saw Brandon Marquese Winters, 35, of Lafayette run a stop sign after midnight, June 17. A Lafayette Police Department officer initiated a traffic stop, and the GMC Acadia driven by Winters reportedly pulled into the driveway of a residence Winters didn’t live at.

When Bolte approached Winters, Winters didn’t provide a license and said the vehicle belonged to his girlfriend. After the officer checked BMV records, police saw that Winters’ driving status was suspended.

When Winters got out of the car, the affidavit says he struggled to maintain balance, and he subsequently failed field tests. Winters admitted to drinking an hour before getting pulled over, and was transferred for a blood test, which confirmed he had a 0.15% BAC.

During the officers’ search of the Acadia, it was found that Winters was driving with Focalin, a controlled substance, and Aripiprazole present in the vehicle.

There was also a fired shell on the top of the windshield wiper. The officer searched the area leading up to the driveway stop and found a Hi-Point handgun in the grass on the passenger side of the road.

After tests ran by forensics, it was found this weapon matched up with the shell casings found on the windshield of the vehicle. This came with the fact that Winters has previously been convicted for robbery with injury (2011), transport of firearms by a felon (2021) and driving while suspended and possession of marijuana (2023).

Winters was charged with 10 offenses, including a level four felony of possession of a firearm while having previously been convicted of committing a serious violent felony and three level six felonies, among other charges.

Winters is currently being held on a bond of $20,000 cash.