At the very least 15 folks suffered accidents when an allegedly intoxicated driver crashed right into a crowd throughout a Lao New 12 months parade in Louisiana. Deputies from the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Workplace examine the incident, which occurred Saturday afternoon.
Incident Particulars
The automobile struck a number of pedestrians, inflicting a number of critical accidents. Emergency providers airlifted at the very least two victims to hospitals, as confirmed by Acadian Ambulance responders.
Todd Landry, 57, from Jeanerette, faces 18 counts of first-degree negligent damage, together with costs of driving whereas impaired and careless operation. Preliminary findings point out the crash was not intentional.
Social media footage captures victims on the bottom beside a blue automotive, with some bleeding as rescuers freed an individual trapped beneath.
Competition Background
The annual Lao New 12 months Competition, celebrating Songkran, attracts one of many largest gatherings of its variety within the U.S. It takes place in Lanexang Village close to Broussard, about 140 miles west of New Orleans, in a group with deep Lao roots from refugee resettlements over 40 years in the past.
Response and Aftermath
Competition organizers categorical profound unhappiness over the occasion. “We await additional particulars from authorities. All safety assets concentrate on the scene, leaving no personnel out there elsewhere,” they state. “We pray for the victims and their households throughout this troublesome time.”
Occasions, scheduled by Sunday, halt for the rest of Saturday to prioritize public security.
Governor Jeff Landry shares on X that he and his spouse Sharon pray for these affected and thank first responders. Legal professional Basic Liz Murrill echoes assist, pledging to coordinate with native legislation enforcement.
Louisiana remembers previous New 12 months’s tragedies, together with the January 1, 2025, Bourbon Road assault the place Shamsud-Din Jabbar killed 14 and injured 30 by driving a truck into crowds earlier than police neutralized him.
