BATON ROUGE — A Louisiana State Trooper is on administrative leave after he was arrested late Wednesday night.
Baton Rouge Police officers responded to a call for a domestic violence incident.
James Jefferson III, 40, of Baton Rouge, was arrested at approximately 11:30 pm on February 5, 2025, outside of a home in Baton Rouge.
According to arrest documents, both Jefferson and his wife told responding officers that there was no physical altercation, but that they were having an argument. Jefferson had fresh scratch marks on his hand, but no marks were observed on his wife.
When officers spoke to the person who made the call about the domestic dispute, the person told them that the couple had been arguing about the wife getting into Jefferson’s truck. Shortly after, the wife was heard calling for “Help” and the witness said Jefferson pushed his wife onto the ground.
Video surveillance showed the couple allegedly arguing near the truck before Jefferson locked the truck door and walked to the back. He walked back to the front of the truck and arresting documents say sounds of struggle, along with the woman’s cries of “He’s punching me” and “Don’t throw me to the ground” were heard.
A child was in the backseat of the truck while the fight allegedly took place, according to the arrest document.
State Police have not released any details into the incident itself, except that the trooper was off-duty at the time.
Jefferson was arrested and booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison for domestic abuse battery with child endangerment.
Jefferson has been placed on administrative leave, and all law enforcement property will be recovered pending the conclusion of criminal and administrative investigations.
Jefferson has been employed with the Louisiana State Police since 2007, and is currently assigned to Headquarters.
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