Louisiana police have charged a man with impaired driving after his vehicle on Saturday struck revelers at a parade celebrating the Lao New Year, injuring several people, some critically, authorities said.
Louisiana State Police said they arrested Todd Landry, 57, and charged him with driving while impaired, 18 counts of first-degree negligent injuring and careless operation following the incident in New Iberia, Louisiana.
He is also accused of having an open container with an alcoholic beverage in the vehicle.
Photo: WBRZ via AP
Video shared on social media showed multiple people on the ground at the annual event in Broussard and New Iberia. The videos showed firefighters tending to one person trapped beneath the car, which wound up in a ditch along the parade route.
About 15 people were hurt, some seriously, the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office said.
“Based on the preliminary investigation, this does not appear to be an intentional act,” sheriff’s office spokeswoman Rebecca Melancon said.
Acadian Ambulance, a private ambulance company, wrote on social media that it responded to the emergency at about 2:30pm, and sent 10 ambulances and a helicopter to aid the injured.
Two people were airlifted, it said.
Landry showed signs of impairment, and a breath sample showed he had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.137 percent, police said.
The legal limit for drivers in most US states is 0.08 percent.
The parade is part of a three-day New Year celebration set in the Lanxang Village, a Laotian neighborhood near New Iberia with hundreds of families, and near the Buddhist temple grounds of Wat Thammarattanaram.
It features Southeast Asian food, live music, a parade and other family-friendly activities attracting thousands each year.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry issued a statement about the incident.
“Sharon and I are praying for all those affected, and are grateful for the first responders who have responded to the scene,” he said.
The festival’s organizers said that they were canceling Saturday evening’s music concerts, as well as alcohol sales.
“We are profoundly saddened by the news of the incident near the festival grounds,” the organizers wrote on Facebook. “We are praying for the victims and for their families during this difficult time.”
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