Rita LeBlanc, the granddaughter of New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson once believed to be an heir to the NFL franchise, was arrested for allegedly pushing a parking enforcement officer in Charleston, South Carolina, on Monday (June 16), Live5News.com reports.

LeBlanc, 48, was charged with hindering an officer/city employee in relation to the alleged attack and released on a personal recognizance bond Tuesday (June 17). The suspect allegedly grabbed a parking boot locking mechanism while a parking enforcement officer attempted to place it on a vehicle and shoved the victim, at which point officers were summoned to the scene, according to Sgt. Chris Stinson.

LeBlanc, whose mother, Renee, was adopted by Benson and his first wife, Shirley Landry, had previously worked as the Saints' vice chairman from 2012-14 and was believed to be in position to eventually serve as controlling owner until her grandfather fired her in December 2014, "cutting off any future contact." LeBlanc allegedly grabbed Benson's wife and current Saints owner Gayle Benson by the shoulders and shook her repeatedly in the Superdome family suite during a home game against the Atlanta Falcons, with multiple sources claiming she'd been the "aggressor."

Tom Benson announced that his wife would be the Saints' sole successor in 2015, three years prior to his death, which resulted in a lawsuit by LeBlanc, her brother, Ryan, and their mother aiming to deem him mentally incompetent, which was eventually settled in 2016.

“No matter what happens in the litigation,” LeBlanc Sports Business Daily in 2016, “I’ll still be a partial owner.”

“I wouldn’t say I’m happy. I’m fulfilled," she added at the time. "I don’t have a private life. There’s miserable things in the press and miserable things that aren’t being reported. No family should have to go through this.”

The Saints finished the 2024 season with a 5-12 record, their worst since 2003, prior to an offseason that included the hiring of former Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore as head coach and the surprising sudden retirement of quarterback Derek Carr.

LeBlanc is scheduled to appear in court on July 24, according to NOLA.com.

Kristina

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