HOUMA, La. -- Terrebonne Parish's emergency preparedness director was fired Monday for taking his parish-owned vehicle to an LSU game as Hurricane Ike flooded homes and businesses two weeks ago, officials said.

Naomi King / Houma Courier

Terrebonne Emergency Preparedness Director Jerry Richard helps his wife, Cathy, get into a Sheriff's Office rescue truck as floodwaters hit the Dularge community where they live. Cathy Richard failed to heed the parish's mandatory evacuation as Hurricane Ike threatened.

Jerry Richard, who was appointed to direct the Office of Emergency Preparedness in March, drove to Baton Rouge with his wife Sept. 13 to watch LSU play North Texas.

He previously said that two officials -- Sheriff Vernon Bourgeois and Interim Parish Manager Pat Gordon -- gave him the day off. He also said he took his 85-year-old father, who lives in Baton Rouge, his wife and sister to the game. He also has said he handled business by cell phone.

Parish President Michel Claudet said he fired Richard but would not elaborate on the decision.

"In matters of personnel, we truly don't like to discuss it in the paper as much as possible," Claudet said. "I determined we're going to go in a different direction."

Claudet said Richard's trip in the 2008 Ford Expedition constituted a violation of the parish's vehicle policy. According to the employee manual, employees can't use public vehicles "as a private means of transportation" and "no parish vehicle may be utilized to transport family members."

Richard did not return a telephone call seeking comment.

Claudet has not named a replacement.