One of Louisiana’s most recently promoted weather broadcasters is now the center of a storm that has nothing to do with climate.
Devon Lucie, chief meteorologist at New Orleans’ WDSU, was arrested Sunday after allegedly breaking into his girlfriend’s home in Gretna and physically assaulting her while her children were nearby, the New York Post reported.
The 48-year-old forecaster, who just stepped into the station’s lead meteorology role in August, is now facing domestic abuse, child endangerment, and resisting arrest charges following a night that veered far off the radar.
Meteorologist’s Career Under Clouds
Lucie was hired to succeed a WDSU weather anchor who’d manned the green screen for 45 years — a tough gig to follow in normal conditions, let alone with legal trouble on the five-day forecast.
With a résumé that includes stints at eight stations since graduating from Western Illinois University in 1997, Lucie appeared to be another journeyman broadcaster finally landing a marquee role. That light at the end of his professional tunnel now looks dimmer by the hour.
The trouble began Sunday when Lucie and his longtime girlfriend attended a festival in Gretna, five miles from New Orleans. According to authorities, a disagreement erupted, and the pair left separately. She was driven home by her mother.
Alleged Domestic Dispute Turns Violent
Lashing out instead of standing down, Lucie allegedly forced his way into her home later that evening. According to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office, he broke through the door — not exactly the entrance you’d expect from a trusted, public-facing personality.
Once inside, another confrontation followed. Reports say Lucie briefly left the home, then returned and, during the second encounter, physically assaulted the woman. Adding to the gravity, her two young children were asleep in the living room when the disturbance erupted.
The injuries weren’t slight. Deputies noted she had multiple cuts and scratches across her upper body, plus welts on her forehead and face. She stated she acted in self-defense — hardly the type of forecast Lucie likely predicted for his evening.
Victim Claims She Fought Back
The woman told investigators she "fought back in self-defense,” police records showed. Law enforcement photographs captured a grim picture: welts, cuts, and bruises across much of her upper body.
But the effects weren’t one-sided. Lucie, too, sustained visible damage, including what arresting deputies called “two jagged scratch marks” running along both sides of his nose. His injuries were readily seen in his booking photo.
When officers arrived, things didn't get any more cooperative. Lucie reportedly refused to provide his name or date of birth and declined to clean his bloody injuries, according to the arrest report. Not exactly the image of someone with nothing to hide.
Station Responds, Investigation Pending
WDSU, the station that had just elevated Lucie to its top weather position, swiftly placed him on leave. An internal investigation is underway — a predictable corporate move, though local audiences may now be focusing less on the chance of afternoon showers and more on the integrity of the people delivering the news.
Let’s be blunt: this kind of behavior isn’t just unprofessional, it's unacceptable — no matter your job title or airtime credentials. For someone tasked with informing the public, Lucie’s alleged actions reek of personal instability rather than trusted leadership.
This case will no doubt wind its way through the courts, but the damage goes beyond Lucie’s mugshot. Trust, once busted, isn’t so easy to restore — just ask any forecaster who’s ever missed a hurricane call.
