(Washington Insider Magazine) – Officer David Cauthron drove 86 miles per hour and ran a red light while chasing carjacker Tyquel Zanders and failing to brake quickly into an uninvolved car, killing two teen cheerleaders.
A Louisiana police officer is facing charges for crashing into an unrelated car during a high-speed chase on New Year’s Eve, killing two high school cheerleaders.
Officer David Cauthron, 42, of the Addis police force, was charged on Sunday with two counts of negligent homicide in the death of 17-year-old Maggie Dunn and 16-year-old Caroline Gill, according to station WBRZ.
Maggie’s brother, Liam Dunn, a freshman at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, was reportedly seriously injured in the crash.
18th Judicial District Attorney Tony Clayton rebuked the officer, who has been with the department for less than a year. He previously worked for the state sheriff’s office.
“That cop has a lot of questions to answer related to his speed and utter negligence,” Clayton said Sunday, according to WBRZ. “The public can rest assured, we will follow the facts.”
Information From Different Sources
Sources told the news outlet that Cauthron’s vehicle was going about 86 miles per hour during the pursuit of suspect Tyquel Zanders, accused of stealing a relative’s car.
Sources also told the news station that the officer did not slam on the brakes before colliding with the car the girls were in.
Witnesses said Cauthron ran a red light when his patrol car reached the intersection and crashed into the victims’ car around noon, according to the news station.
The manhunt began when Zanders, 24, entered a home where he was not welcome and pushed his father to the ground before taking the keys to a Nissan, The Advocate reported, citing Clayton and the documents from Registration.
Zanders, who was later arrested when his car stalled, is also expected to face manslaughter charges in the deaths of the two girls in addition to charges related to the theft of the car, according to the West Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, reported the newspaper.
“He put the chain of events into play,” Clayton, the prosecutor, told The Advocate. “He is responsible for all reactions to his actions. He faces two charges, and if that poor young man doesn’t survive, he will face another.”
The West Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office also made the arrest of the police officer, according to the newspaper.
The two deceased high school students were remembered by the Brusly High School cheerleading squad in a Facebook post Sunday.
“As we mourn the tragic deaths of Maggie Dunn and Caroline Gill, please keep their families, friends and the BHS community in your thoughts and prayers,” the cheerleading squad stated. “Their enthusiasm and bright smiles will be missed more than you can imagine.”
The high school said Dunn was a junior and Gill was a sophomore. “We are saddened by the loss of our school community and will do everything we can to help you and your child as needed,” said high school principal Walt Lemoine.
This article is authored by Alejandro Gonzalez.