Lafourche Parish, Louisiana Man Found Guilty of Vehicular Homicide, Negligent Homicide in Crash Involving Nicholls State U Students; Louisiana Wrongful Death Civil Claims Explained

Just several weeks ago, on August 24, 2023, 39-year-old Joey Clement was handed down some serious and life-altering news. The Lafourche Parish man was found guilty of two counts of vehicular homicide and one count of negligent homicide in the deaths of three Nicholls State University Students. The victims, identified as 18-year-old Hali Cross, 18-year-old Michaela Bowling, and 19-year-old Lil Dufrene were killed in a car accident involving Clement several years ago on Thanksgiving weekend, 2021.

According to local news reports, the three young university students were recent high school graduates and had just begun their college careers at the time of their untimely deaths. While driving together in an SUV during that Thanksgiving weekend in 2021, Clement crashed his Ford F-150 truck head-on into the three victims, after crossing the centerline of the road. Both Clement and the young females’ vehicles are said to have been engulfed in flames at the time of the accident, and the young women were pronounced dead at the scene. Importantly, Clement had three prior arrests for driving while intoxicated, making this his fourth offense. His blood-alcohol level is reported to have been 0.16 at the time of the crash. Clement, miraculously, suffered only minor injuries as a result of the drunk driving incident. Ultimately, jurors in Clement’s criminal case deliberated for five hours before handing down their verdict. Clement now faces up to 50 years in prison for the accident, and his sentencing hearing is set for October 3.

Civil Case to Follow? What Happens to the Families of the Victims?

It is important to note that while the criminal convictions hold Clement accountable for his actions that Thanksgiving weekend in 2021, it does not compensate the families who lost their loved ones. While nothing can replace the loss of a loved one, Louisiana wrongful death laws do entitle certain loved ones of those who have passed away due to the negligent or intentional actions of another person to get justice. Under Louisiana wrongful death laws, certain surviving family members of those who have been killed in negligent or intentional car accidents may be entitled to compensation. In order to determine whether you may be entitled to compensation under Louisiana wrongful death laws, it is best to speak with an experienced Louisiana personal injury lawyer as soon as possible about your rights and options.

A Law Firm that Helps the Families of Car Accident Victims in Louisiana

In Louisiana, the experienced personal injury lawyers at Lunsford Baskin & Priebe help the family members of those who have been needlessly killed in accidents due to no fault of their own get justice. The experienced Louisiana personal injury lawyers at Lunsford Baskin & Priebe offer a free and confidential consultation to learn about your case and to see if they can help fight for you. Contact the experienced Louisiana personal injury lawyers at Lunsford Baskin & Priebe today and speak to a lawyer about your rights and options for free.

Source:

fox8live.com/2023/08/24/man-found-guilty-killing-3-nicholls-students-drunken-crash/