Granddaughter of Former Saints Owner Tom Benson Arrested After Incident with Parking Official
Rita Benson LeBlanc, the 48-year-old granddaughter of the late New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson, was taken into custody in Charleston, South Carolina, following an alleged confrontation with a parking enforcement officer.
According to jail documents, LeBlanc faces a charge of obstructing an officer.
The incident occurred at the intersection of Meeting and Water Streets in downtown Charleston, where authorities responded to a report that a parking officer had been shoved, as reported by WCSC-TV.
Charleston Police Sergeant Chris Stinson stated that LeBlanc momentarily took a tool used by the officer to secure a vehicle with a parking boot. This led to her arrest and subsequent booking into Charleston County Jail on Monday. She was released Tuesday afternoon on a personal recognizance bond.
A court hearing for LeBlanc is scheduled for July 24.
Previously, LeBlanc held executive and co-ownership roles with the New Orleans Saints and the NBA’s Pelicans. Her tenure ended in 2014 when she was dismissed by her grandfather. Following Tom Benson’s death in 2018, ownership of the Saints transferred to his widow, Gayle Benson.
