By Hunt Palmer
The Lafourche Parish district attorney’s office released a statement citing inconsistencies in the Kyren Lacy police report issued by Louisiana State Police.
In conclusion, the DA’s office found that “the report does not support that Kyren Lacy should have known that his actions were the cause of the crash that happened approximately 72 yards in front of him.”
One second before the crash, Lacy’s vehicle was 120 yards away from the truck and was returning to the southbound lane of travel.
It is approximated that Lacy was traveling 88 mph in a 40 mph zone but that he was back in his proper lane “three times the legal limit” for passing. The DA’s statement also rejects the notion that the pickup truck that left the northbound lane of traffic “to avoid a head on collision” with Lacy. “All the evidence for this case contradicts this statement,” the DA wrote.
The Kia Cadenza that ultimately struck the Kia Sorrento driven by Herman Hall was “following too closely which caused her to take evasive action to avoid hitting the back of the truck”.
Below is the full report from the Lafourche Parish district attorney:
Conclusion
The report provided to this office by Louisiana State Police has several inconsistencies which were used to base their opinion and conclusion of the crash. The report notes about reviewing the video surveillance which was obtained from Go Bears. The report goes on to state, “The video footage then captures Vehicle 1 abruptly slowing to a sudden stop in the northbound lane. This is an incorrect statement and at no point is Kyren Lacy observed coming to a stop in the northbound lane.
Next, the report notes, “This would indicate that Vehicle 1 was attempting to pass 4 vehicles, one being an 18-wheeler, in a no passing zone at the time of the crash.” Another statement of, “After the collision, Driver 1 briefly returned to the southbound lane before re-entering the opposing northbound lane.” This gives the impression that Kyren Lacy was actively passing vehicles when the crash occurred, which is incorrect. Kyren Lacy did pass the four vehicles as described but was back in the southbound lane (his correct lane) before the crash occurred.
In the conclusion of the crash narrative, it states, “(Redacted), the driver of the white pickup truck traveling north on LA 20, immediately applied his brakes and swerved to the right to avoid a head-on collision with Vehicle 1.” All the evidence for this case contradicts this statement. On the video from Go Bears,(Redacted) has an average speed of 28.2 MPH which does not support the idea that he stopped within 102 feet before the crash. Also, (Redacted) is seen pulling into the parking lot as the vehicle are still moving from the crash.
The report goes on to note, “Vehicle 2, traveling behind the white pickup truck, was now in the path of Vehicle 1, facing an imminent head-on crash.” The evidence obtained from the Go Bears camera and (Driver 2)’s vehicle refudiate this statement. One second before the crash (and before any evasive action was taken by (Driver 2)), Kyren Lacy and (Driver 2)’s vehicles were 361.4 feet (120.4 yards) apart. This is also the point that Kyren Lacy was returning to the southbound lane of travel. Furthermore, the video shows that (Driver 2) had a following distance of 0.5 seconds, behind (Driver 3), 1.5 seconds before the crash.
Should this have been a passing zone, what distance would Kyren Lacy have needed to be back into his own lane. In RS 32:75 Limitations on passing on the left, the last sentence provides the distance by stating, “In every event the overtaking vehicle must return to the right-hand side of the roadway before coming within one hundred feet of any vehicle approaching from the opposite direction.” According to RS 32:75, if this was in fact a passing zone, then Kyren Lacy would have been back into his lane with three times the required distance and would not have been responsible for any crash.
The evidence submitted in the crash report does support that Kyren Lacy was passing four vehicles (including an 18-wheeler) in a clearly marked no passing zone. Kyren Lacy was driving an average of 88 MPH while passing with a posted speed limit of 40 MPH. (Driver 2) was following too close which caused her to take evasive action to avoid hitting the back of (Redacted)’s truck. The evidence submitted in the crash report does not support that Kyren Lacy should have known that his actions were the cause of the crash that happened approximately 72 yards in front of him.
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