Wrongful Death

Wrongful-Death Suit Filed In Relation to Parade Incident

February 17, 2016 | by Broussard, David & Moroux

An incident during last year’s Krewe of Excalibur Carnival parade in Metairie has resulted in civil repercussions. Don J. Dauzat, 52, was struck and killed by an allegedly drunk motorist who was purportedly pursued by a Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Deputy at the time. Now, Dazuat’s family has filed a wrongful-death suit in the 24th Judicial District Court in Gretna, naming the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Excalibur, King Arthur, PFJ Float Co., and others as defendants.

According to the suit, Dauzat had finished dropping off the float he was pulling for the Excalibur parade and was transporting a tractor to a staging area for the Knights of King Arthur parade. It was at this time, about 2:50 a.m., that he was struck by a 2002 Ford Explorer driven by Michael Burrle near Lapalco Boulevard and Paxton Street in Harvey. The impact caused the tractor to roll approximately 70 feet and flung Dauzat from it, resulting in severe injuries to his skull and brain. He was transported to a New Orleans hospital but died less than a day later from his injuries.

Burrle was booked on suspicion of DWI and was eventually charged with vehicular homicide to which he plead not guilty.

18-wheeler Incident on Parade Route Leaves Four Injured

February 2, 2016 | by Broussard, David & Moroux

A New Orleans parade route had a bit of an interruption on Friday, January 29, when an 18-wheeler struck a tree along the route. The impact caused a large branch to fall on six people, injuring four.

The four Oshun and Cleopatra attendees were treated for minor injuries, according to New Orleans Police Department. Local fire department and emergency personnel were also on the scene, which occurred at the intersection of Amelia Street and Saint Charles Avenue.

According to nola.com, a witness stated that it looked like the driver was attempting to avoid the crowd when he struck the tree at around 7:50 p.m. A city clean-up crew arrived to cut and transport the branch to clear the street. The work was completed at around 10 p.m.

Submerged Chevron Boat Allegedly Causes Another To Sink, Injuries

January 26, 2016 | by Broussard, David & Moroux

A lawsuit has been brought against Chevron for a shrimp boat that sank last year, allegedly due to an underwater and unmarked vessel owned by the company.

Hosea Wilson and Shajaun Turner filed suit on January 19 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana against Chevron USA, Inc. They claimed negligence on the part Chevron which resulted in damage to personal property and personal injury.

According to the suit, on March 19, Wilson and Turner were piloting a 36-foot Newton shrimp boat in Garden Island Bay in Plaquemines Parish. It was at this time that their vessel collided with a submerged and unmarked vessel owned by Chevron. The collision caused heavy hull damage to Wilson’s boat, and injured both men, according to the complaint. Additionally, the hull damage was so severe that Wilson’s boat took on water and sank.

Crash In Crown Point Leaves One Dead, Three Injured

January 19, 2016 | by Broussard, David & Moroux

A two-vehicle crash involving four individuals occurred last Sunday in Crown Point. Two were injured, one of whom, Susan Tiano, 71 of Lexington, Massachusetts, was later pronounced dead at University Medical Center in New Orleans, according to reports.

The incident occurred at the intersection of Bataria Boulevard and Leo Kerner Lafitte Parkway at 5 p.m. January 9, 2015. According to the investigating officers, Tiano was a passenger in a 2015 Nissan Versa driven by Anton Becker, 75 of Newport, Massachusetts. The Versa was driving southbound on Bataria, when, after turning left and disregarding a stop sign, it collided with a 2004 Nissan Titan driven by a Marrero man.

The two occupants of the Titan as well as Marrero were taken to a local hospital for minor injuries. Tiano, who suffered injuries significantly more severe was brought to University Medical Center by paramedics.

Woman Sues Aerospace Company Over Husband’s Death, Claims Negli-gence

December 22, 2015 | by Broussard, David & Moroux

A pilot’s wife has accused several companies of performing faulty maintenance on the helicopter her husband was flying when it suffered catastrophic engine failure, which led to his death.

Colleen Hicks, of Oklahoma, individually, on behalf of her minor children, and as representative of her husband, Brandon Seth Ricks, filed suit on December 10 against Cadorath Aerospace LaFayette LLC, H&H Turbine Services LLC and Rotorcraft Leasing Co. LLC, claiming negligence that resulted in Brandon Ricks’s death.

The complaint states that Brandon Ricks, age 40, was piloting a Model 206 L-1 helicopter from Griffin Memorial Airport in Mississippi to aid in a controlled burn initiated by the U.S. Forest Service on March 30. At a point during the flight, engine failed, resulting in a crash that killed both Ricks and the passenger. According to the suit, Cadorath and the other defendants performed negligent maintenance on the craft from 2009 to 2014 which caused the engine failure in question.

Bicycling Teen Killed By Speeding Motorist

December 15, 2015 | by Broussard, David & Moroux

A Gonzales man is being charged with negligent homicide over the death of a Baton Rouge high school freshman last Wednesday.

On December 9, Brennan Rube, 14 years old of Prairieville, was bicycling on LA-73 when he was struck by a 2000 Dodge truck driven by Joshua Ashford, 26-years-old of Gonzales. The force of impact flung Rube from his bicycle. He was not wearing a helmet and died at the scene. The crash happened around 6 p.m., according to Louisiana State Police.

Both vehicles were traveling in the same direction and Rube was struck by the front right side of Ashford’s truck. According to the police report, Ashford was speeding on a road with a posted speed limit of 45 miles per hour. Police do not suspect Ashford of being impaired at the time of the accident, however a routine toxicology test is pending.

Two Motorcyclists Pronounced Dead After Collision with 18-Wheeler

December 8, 2015 | by Broussard, David & Moroux

A three-vehicle crash in Delcambre resulted the death of an uncle and nephew from Abbeville, according to police reports.

On November 26, 2015, Jones Mitchell and Gerald Mitchell were traveling west on Suzuki motorcycles on LA 14 and approaching an east-west crossover. An 18-wheeler, driven by Earnest Comesana Jr., was traveling east on LA 14 and approaching the same crossover. Comesana turned left into the crossover to begin traveling east and the Mitchells were unable to avoid colliding with Comesana’s trailer as it entered their lane of travel.

Although the Mitchell’s were wearing Department of Transportation-approved helmets, both received fatal injuries as a result of the collision and were pronounced dead at the scene by the Iberia Parish Coroner’s Office. Comensana was properly restrained at the time of the crash and received no injuries.

Failure to Yield Leaves One Dead

December 1, 2015 | by Broussard, David & Moroux

Failure to obey a stop sign and suspected driving under the influence has lead to the death of a Ventress man last Friday.

Louisiana State Police has not completed its investigation, but according to initial findings, 27-year-old Nicholas Porche was driving westbound on Section Road in a white Sierra while Michael Holmes, 53-years-old of Ventress, was driving south on Beuche Road in a red F-150 around 5:30 on Friday, November 20. The crash took place at the intersection of both roads near Erwinville.

According to officials, Porche ran the stop sign at the intersection of Beuche and Section, causing the accident. Holmes was pronounced dead at the scene by the West Baton Rouge Coroner’s Office. Porche was wearing his seat belt at the time and received minor injuries, but refused aid.

BP Cleanup Captain Files Suit

November 17, 2015 | by Broussard, David & Moroux

Another lawsuit has arisen from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010, this time stemming from the cleanup of the aforementioned accident.

Josip Piacun filed a complaint against BP Exploration & Production Inc., and B.P. America Production Co. alleging gross negligence under general maritime law. Piacun claimed that the company negligently exposed him to hazardous and cancer-causing compounds.

Piacun was hired as a vessel captain in April 20, 2010, in response to the BP oil spill. While he was employed from June 2010 to December 2010, Piacun claims BP negligently exposed him to dermal and airborne chemical compounds that are generally accepted to be toxic, volatile, and carcinogenic. The suit states that, as a result of this exposure, Piacun “developed psychological, dermal, respiratory, and cardiopulmonary complications.”

Man Responsible for Vehicular Homicide Sentenced

November 9, 2015 | by Broussard, David & Moroux

A drunk driver that caused an accident which lead to a man’s death was sentenced in Calcasieu Parish last Wednesday.

On September 27, 2014, Derek Paul Cooper was driving eastbound in the westbound lanes of I-10 in the Sulphur area. He had a blood alcohol level of .24, three times the legal limit. He collided with a car driven by Jeremy Olivier, age thirty-one, who died as a result.

At Cooper’s sentencing on Wednesday, Judge Ron Ware ordered Cooper to 18 years in prison, with three years suspended and credit for time served. Judge Ware also ordered that the first five years of the sentence be served without benefit of probation, suspension, or parole. Cooper will be on supervised parole for 2 years following his release.