drunk driving

The Year Of Living Dangerously

December 14, 2016 by Lee Hoffoss

F Troop officers erected thirty-five human silhouette cutouts near their headquarters on State Highway 594, one for each fatal car crash victim in the group’s twelve parish area in 2016.
Troopers lament that there will probably be more victims before year’s end, because there are usually several fatal car crashes in December. The figures include a child-size cutout to represent an infant victim, and two that wear badges, representing law enforcement officers from Winnsboro and Sterlington who died this year in car crashes. Typically, the officers erect a similar display inside the building, but they felt it might have more of an impact in a more visible location.
“There’s 35 families that are missing a family member because of a fatal car crash,” observed Troop F information director Michael Reichardt. [Read more…] about The Year Of Living Dangerously

Drunk Driver Sentenced For 2015 Fatal Crash

December 12, 2016 by Lee Hoffoss

15th Judicial District Judge David Smith sentenced a 25-year-old Lafayette man to twelve years in prison, following a February 2015 drunk driving crash in which he destroyed two vehicles and killed one person.
Police and witnesses state that Bryan Chapman was heavily intoxicated and driving at least 100mph when he smashed into 66-year-old Carol Ann Richard’s vehicle near the intersection of Halifax Drive and Moss Street. The force of the impact propelled Ms. Richard’s burning car into another vehicle, causing it to topple over. Mr. Chapman pleaded guilty in July 2015, and he has remained in the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center since then. At the sentencing hearing, Mr. Chapman’s parents asked for leniency, because they say he is remorseful, has been completely sober since the drunk driving crash, and is a good caregiver to his disabled sister. At the same hearing, witnesses testified through tears about Ms. Richard’s career with the school district and giving spirit. Judge Smith announced that Mr. Chapman must “carry on [that] tradition of giving” after his release from prison, by speaking once a month for twelve months in sobriety court and performing 250 hours of community service at an alcohol counseling center for young people. [Read more…] about Drunk Driver Sentenced For 2015 Fatal Crash

Survey: Drunk Drivers Abound On Area Roads

October 24, 2016 by Lee Hoffoss

Lafayette ranked second on a list of the 100 cities with the most fatal alcohol-related crashes; Shreveport was no. 39, New Orleans was no. 40, and Lake Charles was no. 47.
Last year, eight of the thirteen fatal vehicle collisions in Lafayette were alcohol-related. That 61.5 percent mark was second only to Cape Coral, Florida (70 percent). Moreover, the per capita death rate in Lafayette (0.627) was more than twice as high as the rate in number three Providence, R.I.. Most of the cities on the list, like Lafayette, have populations under 200,000 and are not in urban areas. Study authors theorize that such communities have a higher number of impaired drivers, because of less-developed public transportation, as well as hospitals that are generally smaller and have fewer resources than the ones in big cities. [Read more…] about Survey: Drunk Drivers Abound On Area Roads

"Fatal Accident" At Area High School

October 13, 2016 by Lee Hoffoss

Local authorities hope that a “vehicle crash” outside a local high school will make a strong impression on area teenagers.
With Homecoming coming up at Monroe Neville High School, Louisiana State Police and other first responders descended on campus to give students a demonstration about what can happen in alcohol-related vehicle crashes. The “injuries” ranged from mild to severe; one passenger was ejected from a vehicle and “declared dead at the scene.” LSP officers explained that one of the “drivers” was impaired and would face several criminal charges, including DUI manslaughter. Area schools, including Neville, have staged similar vehicle crash demonstrations in each of the last three years.
“We are trying to teach them you can make a better choice than driving home and getting involved in something like this,” said Troop F Public Information Officer Michael Reichardt. [Read more…] about "Fatal Accident" At Area High School

Driver Charged With Fourth DUI After Injury Collision

September 30, 2016 by Lee Hoffoss

A Leesville man is in the Beauregard Parish Jail because he was allegedly intoxicated when he rammed into a woman and two children on U.S. Highway 171.
According to Louisiana State Police, 48-year-old Brian Hayes was southbound 171’s right lane near the Louisiana 112 intersection when he illegally changed lanes and sideswiped a vehicle waiting in the turn lane. The impact seriously injured 29-year-old Erica Fowler, of DeRidder, and two children whose names were not released. All three were rushed to a nearby hospital, while authorities took Mr. Hayes into custody at the scene.
Investigators suspect that Mr. Hayes, who had three prior DUI convictions on his record, was once again driving while impaired. [Read more…] about Driver Charged With Fourth DUI After Injury Collision

Legal Issues In Drunk Driving Matters

June 17, 2016 by Lee Hoffoss

Two recent incidents in Lake Charles highlight some common issues in many drunk driving negligence cases.
One case involved a car crash at the intersection of Elliott and Lafanette. According to Sheriff’s deputies, 32-year-old Jorge Castillo crossed the center line and collided with a female motorist. When they questioned Mr. Castillo, deputies claimed that he was intoxicated, based on an odor of alcohol, unsteady balance, and slurred speech. Mr. Castillo refused to answer questions, perform field sobriety tests, or submit to a chemical test. Nevertheless, he was arrested and charged with DUI.
On the same day, and in an unrelated incident, Sheriff’s deputies pulled over 35-year-old Tate Vander on Hollis Road in Westlake, after a tipster’s report about erratic driving. When questioned, Mr. Vander said he was “buzzed” after consuming prescription medications and alcohol; deputies did see an open container of alcohol in his vehicle, along with four Soma pills. He was transported to a local hospital where he submitted to a blood test; the test results were not made available. He was also booked into jail on several charges, including DUI. [Read more…] about Legal Issues In Drunk Driving Matters