A Louisiana police officer was arrested after allegedly causing a fatal car crash that left two teenage girls dead on New Year’s Eve while he was pursuing a suspect in another car.
David Cauthron, 42, an officer with the Addis Police Department, was pursuing a suspect when he ran a red light. Cauthron, who was driving at a very high speed, crashed into a car that had three teenage passengers, according to Louisiana’s 18th Judicial District Attorney Tony Clayton.
The crash killed 17-year-old Maggie Dunn and 16-year-old Caroline Gill.
Maggie’s brother, Liam Dunn, 20, who was also in the vehicle, survived the accident but remained in critical condition.
Cauthron was arrested on New Year’s Day and charged with negligent homicide and injury. He was taken into custody in West Baton Rouge, and his bond was set at $100,000.
At the time of the crash, Cauthron was pursuing Tyquel Zanders, 24, who had been accused of stealing his father’s vehicle. The car chase began in Baton Rouge and ended when the officer ran a red light on the Louisiana highway and crashed into the car carrying the teens.
According to staff at Brusly High School, the two deceased girls, Maggie Dunn and Caroline Gill, were members of the cheerleading squad. A statement from the school indicated that Dunn was an 11th-grade student and Gill was in the 10th grade.
After the car crash, Zanders continued his journey and crossed over into West Baton Rouge, where officers arrested him after a short pursuit that ended when his car stalled.
Police charged Zanders with two counts of manslaughter related to the crash.
District Attorney Clayton said in a statement that the DA’s office would conduct a thorough investigation into the case, including analyzing all body and body cam footage, interviews with witnesses, and interviewing the officer. After completing their investigations, his office will present the case to a grand jury.
DA Clayton said that although they would follow the facts of the case, he could not understand why Cauthron was driving through a red light at such a high speed. He condemned Cauthron’s conduct, saying that sirens and a police car do not give an officer authority to run a red light, adding that they must slow down or stop when there is a danger to human life.
According to Clayton, the evidence showed that the officer was negligent, and the two girls would not have died if Cauthron had used common sense.