While checking out a suspicious person standing in the middle of Dauphine Street in Bogalusa on Monday night, two members of the Washington Parish Drug Task Force encountered not only a hostile person, but also one who was carrying a semi-automatic pistol.

Task Force officers arrested Richard Hart, 27, of Bogalusa and placed him in the Washington Parish Jail, charged with obstructing a public passage, resisting a police officer with force or violence and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

Hart remains in jail with bond set at $100,000.

When Task Force officers approached Hart in the middle of the street, he began to resist and pulled a Springfield XD .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol on the officers. In the struggle to subdue Hart, the officers fell to the ground with him before they were able to finally secure the pistol.

According to the officers’ report, Hart’s finger was on the trigger during the struggle. “He was attempting to pull the trigger,” according to one of the officers, “but the weapon did not fire.”

Washington Parish Sheriff Randy Seal commented on the arrest.

“This is another example of the danger our officers face daily as they work to protect the citizens of Washington Parish,” he said. “I am so grateful that neither of our officers was injured and I am happy that this convicted felon is now in jail and can no longer pose a threat to society.”