LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / October 20, 1999

LUTCHER – Separate traffic accidents on Sunday resulted in the death of one child and the serious injury of a second in the town.

St. James Parish Sheriff Willy Martin Jr. reported that about 4 p.m., a 4-year-old Lutcher boy had been placed on a horse by his father near King Avenue and Fifth Street.

The horse was spooked by a dog and began running down the street, out of control. The horse either struck a passing pickup truck or stoppedabruptly, and the terrified child was thrown and struck his head.

The child was transported to St. James Parish Hospital and later moved toCharity Hospital in New Orleans.

On West LeBray Street, a 7-year-old girl was struck by a car when the bicycle she was riding unexpectedly appeared from a wooded area onto the road, according to Martin.

The child, Martin added, was riding her bicycle on a path between West LeBray and Caruso streets. “The woods come right to the edge of theroad,” Martin observed.

The girl appeared suddenly in the path of a pickup truck driven by a 17- year-old boy and was struck and seriously injured.

No charges were filed against the boy, Martin continued, based on observation of the scene and reports by witnesses.

“By all the information, it was unavoidable,” Martin commented. Theaccident, however, is still under investigation.

The child was pronounced dead at 8:30 p.m. Sunday.

Return To News Stories