Maggie Dunn, 17, an 11th-grader, and Caroline Gill, 16, a 10th-grader, both cheerleaders, died when an Addis police officer ran a red light Saturday afternoon and crashed into their vehicle.
Cauthron was pursuing a suspect in a police chase that began in Baton Rouge when he ran a red light at 86mph in Brusly and crashed into the girls’ vehicle shortly before 12:30 p.m. Saturday, The Advocate reports.
Maggie’s brother, Liam Dunn, a student at the University of Louisiana, US at Lafayette, who was a passenger in the girls’ car, was seriously injured in the crash and is in the hospital.
Hundreds of the bereaved community gathered at Brusly High School’s football field Monday night for a candlelight ceremony in remembrance of two students who died in a car crash Saturday, casualties of a police pursuit.
Brusly High Assistant Principal Jason Lemoine, speaking from a lecturn set up on the field, noted the strong breeze blowing on Monday night.
‘Maggie and Caroline, you will be missed, forever loved and never forgotten,’ Lemoine said.
Candles had been handed out to everyone there, but Lemoine suggested that using their cell phones instead might be a better idea, and, instantly the field was lit up.
The school had considered at one point having everyone release balloons during the vigil, Lemoine said, but considering the environmental impact, had asked the family members of each girl to release one balloon.
The field was silent as, from two different points in the crowd, a golden, star-shaped balloon was released and carried upward by the wind.
‘We all are hurting, and that’s okay,’
‘We’re supposed to be hurting.‘
‘Families have lost a daughter, a granddaughter, a niece, a cousin,’ he said.
The officer has been arrested.
On Sunday, Addis police officer David Cauthron, 42, was arrested by the West Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office on two counts of negligent homicide and one count of negligent injuring, with bail set at $100,000, the sheriff’s office said.
District Attorney Tony Clayton revealed the officer is facing serious question after he was caught driving at such high speeds.
He said: ‘That cop has a lot of questions to answer pertaining to his speed and sheer negligence. The public can rest assured, we will follow the facts.
‘For these kids to not to have been able to start the New Year is inexcusable, but we’ll follow the facts first.
‘I just can’t put my arms around why the officer was driving at that rate of speed in pursuit of this vehicle. This officer is facing some serious issues.
‘If it involves putting human life in danger, stop the damn pursuit. It’s just not worth the risk.’
