June 30, 2022  |  01:45 pm

St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s deputies helped to recover a stolen 18-wheeler cattle hauler Thursday (June 30) morning hours after it was reported stolen from a cattle farm north of Covington.

Shortly after 6:30 a.m. Thursday one of the owners of a local cattle farm called the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office to report that his Peterbilt 18-wheeler and his attached cattle trailer had been stolen from his property on Highway 1082 (Old Military Road) north of Covington.

Working with the owner, STPSO deputies were able to locate the truck and trailer shortly after 9 a.m. Thursday on a piece of property off Pat O’Brien Road. 

When deputies arrived, Travis Wade Cazaux (DOB 4/18/88), was in the process of trying to leave that location with the truck and trailer. He was taken into custody without incident.

Cazaux is being booked into the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center on one count of felony theft of a motor vehicle valued at over $300,000 for the theft of the 18-wheeler and one count of felony theft over $25,000 for the theft of the cattle trailer.

“I want to send kudos to our deputies, who in working with the owner, were able to quickly locate this stolen truck and trailer and make an arrest before the thief could even leave the area,” Sheriff Randy Smith said.