More than a dozen individuals were hurt on Saturday when a car drove into a crowd celebrating a cultural parade and festival in New Iberia, Louisiana, according to police and local news reports.
At roughly 2:30 p.m., a driver, believed to be under the influence, crashed into parade participants during a New Year’s festival in Laos, injuring at least 15 people, some of whom are in critical condition, as per the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Acadian Ambulance reported that multiple pedestrians were struck, with two of the injured requiring airlifting to a hospital.
The driver, identified as 57-year-old Todd Landry, was arrested at the scene following the accident near the intersection of Savannakhet and Melancon streets, according to the Louisiana State Police.
Landry, who lives in Janellette, exhibited signs of impairment and registered a blood alcohol level of 0.137 percent, significantly exceeding the legal limit of 0.08 percent.
He faces a slew of charges including driving while impaired, careless driving, possession of an open container, and 18 counts of first-degree manslaughter, authorities indicated.
The crash is not thought to be deliberate, according to the sheriff’s office.
This parade is part of an annual three-day festival that takes place every Easter weekend to mark the Lao New Year. It’s the largest event of its kind in the U.S. and has its roots in the 1980s as a small gathering for the area’s Laotian community.
In light of the incident, festival organizers decided to cancel the music programs, concerts, and alcohol sales planned for that evening.
“We are deeply saddened to hear of the incident near the festival site,” the organizers posted on Facebook. “We are praying for the victims and their families during this difficult time.”
Support for the victims also came from elected officials. “Sharon and I pray for all those affected and thank the first responders on the scene,” remarked Governor Jeff Landry.
