WBRZ Obtained Traffic Video of Addis Police Chase That Killed Two Teenage Girls
WBRZ's Chris Nakamoto managed to obtain traffic camera video that captured the heartstopping moment during a police chase that claimed the lives of two local beloved teenage girls.
The Brusly community started 2023 in mourning after a fatal accident during a police pursuit claimed the lives of high school students Maggie Dunn and Caroline Gill. An Addis Police SUV driven by Officer David Cauthron slammed into the car as it drove through an intersection, killing both teenage girls and injuring one of their younger siblings.
The pursuit between Cauthron and fleeing suspect, Tyquel Zanders, was taking place on LA 1 after Zanders "stole a vehicle from a family member in Baton Rouge." Initially, Zanders was the only one held accountable in the deadly accident, locked up on manslaughter amongst a laundry list of other charges.
Eventually, District Attorney Tony Clayton announced that the Addis Police officer was also arrested and charged after authorities were able to review videos and collect data in relation to the fatal crash.
Earlier today (Jan. 5), WBRZ's Investigative Unit announced they obtained the traffic camera video that showed the exact moment the Addis police officer slammed into the vehicle occupied by the two teenage girls and one of their younger siblings.
In Chris Nakamoto's full report, he stated that WBRZ "made an editorial decision to not show the moment of impact"—stopping the video just short of the actual crash.
One of the most obvious takeaways from the video was the fact that the car that the girls were traveling in had the green light for over 30 seconds. You can see Zanders zoom through a red light at a high rate of speed, and within seconds the SUV driven by Addis Police Officer David Cauthron flies into the frame just as the girls are making their way into the intersection.
District Attorney Clayton says that while Zanders is at fault in the accident that claimed the lives of both girls, the fact that the Addis police officer should also be held accountable isn't a mutually exclusive idea.
He will face up to 100 years in prison the defendant driver. To hold him accountable, and the officer was also complicit he must be accountable too. That's all folks are asking for.
Clayton told WBRZ's Investigative Unit that his office reviewed the video that captured Cauthorn's actions throughout the incident, calling it "some of the worst he's ever seen."
Part of that character is to control your adrenaline. He got caught up in his adrenaline. That adrenaline caused him to have tunnel vision. That tunnel vision ultimately resulted in the children losing their lives. The bright line rule from this is that blue lights don't give you the power to part the Red Sea.
WBRZ says what we see in the video, based on their sources, is the Addis police officer slamming into the girls going at least 86 mph at the moment of impact, and never applying his brakes.
As bad as this video clip may seem, Clayton seems to allude that there is more evidence that won't play out well for the Addis police officer.
When the public and when the triers of facts see the totality of evidence, particularly his actions moments before the accident and impact, his comments, demeanor... goldfish will stop swimming. That's how damning it is.
Both Zanders and Cauthorn remain locked up in the same West Baton Rouge Parish Jail as the local Brusly community continues to pick up the pieces to this senseless tragedy.
See the video and full story here via WBRZ.