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A heated confrontation over a parking violation in downtown Charleston, South Carolina, ended with the former heir to the New Orleans Saints empire in handcuffs.
Police say Rita LeBlanc, 48, granddaughter of late Saints owner Tom Benson, allegedly shoved a city parking officer and grabbed their booting tool during the altercation, according to WCSC-TV.
The incident on Monday unfolded near the corner of Meeting and Water Streets, where officers responded to reports of a parking enforcement officer being assaulted, according to Charleston police.
Sgt. Chris Stinson told WCSC-TV that during the argument, LeBlanc briefly took hold of the officer’s boot-locking device as they were attempting to attach it to a vehicle.
LeBlanc was arrested at the scene and charged with hindering a city officer.
She was booked into the Al Cannon Detention Center and released the following day on a personal recognizance bond. A court date has been set for July 24.
LeBlanc once held a prominent role within the Saints organization, serving as vice chairman from 2012 to 2014. She was widely regarded as the heir to the team’s ownership before a falling out with her grandfather.
In December 2014, Tom Benson removed her from her role, while also “cutting off any future contact,” Nola.com reported at the time.
He later announced that his wife, Gayle Benson, would succeed him as owner.
The family rift reportedly stemmed from an incident during a 2014 Saints game, in which LeBlanc allegedly grabbed Gayle Benson by the shoulders and shook her while they were in a private suite.
The altercation led to a highly publicized legal battle, with LeBlanc, her brother Ryan, and their mother Renee filing a lawsuit seeking to have Tom Benson declared mentally incompetent, per Nola.com. The suit was ultimately unsuccessful.
Tom Benson, who owned both the Saints and the New Orleans Pelicans, passed away in 2018. Gayle Benson remains the principal owner of both franchises.
