Slidell, LA – Utility Worker Killed by Drunk Driver on Pontchartrain Dr
Slidell, LA (September 13, 2021) – On Friday, September 10th, at about 8:15 p.m., Louisiana State Police opened an investigation into a car accident involving a pedestrian on Pontchartrain Drive in the area of Napoleon Avenue, in St. Tammany Parish.
The identity of the deceased, a utility worker assisting with Hurricane Ida recovery, is being withheld pending family notification. An investigation concluded that the utility worker was directing traffic on Pontchartrain Drive. At that time, a 2001 Ford Ranger driven by John Kite, a resident of Slidell was traveling westbound on Pontchartrain Drive when he crashed into a “Lane Closed” traffic control sign, along with several orange cones, before hitting the utility worker as he guided traffic.
The utility worker was wearing reflective gear at the time of the crash. The utility worker was seriously injured during the impact and, just days later, passed away due to those injuries at an area hospital. Kite was unharmed during the accident. Impairment is suspected to be a factor in the crash. Troopers arrested Kite and transported him to a local facility where he produced a breath sample that tested over the legal limit for alcohol. He is facing multiple charges. We would like to offer our deepest condolences to the family of the deceased victim at this time.
Drunk Driving Accidents in Slidell
Cropped image of man drinking alcohol while driving car
According to federal law, drivers with a blood-alcohol content of 0.08% or higher are considered to be driving under the influence. This driving law applies in all 50 states as well as the District of Columbia with the singular exception of Utah that has a maximum blood-alcohol level of 0.04%.
Drunk drivers are the primary factor in about 35% of all fatal automobile accidents nationwide. On any given day, approximately 300,000 drivers on our country’s roadways are under the influence of alcohol with an insufficient 14% ever being arrested.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that one person was killed by a drunk driver every 48 minutes in 2017, indicating 10,874 people died in alcohol-related car accidents that year, representing 29% of all traffic fatalities in the United States. These numbers were nearly identical to 2016’s totals, which had not been that low since 1985.
Similar to other kinds of car crashes, liability on the part of the intoxicated driver has to be established in order for you to obtain financial compensation for your damages. Damages in a drunk driving claim cover both economic and non-economic. Under very particular circumstances, punitive damages may also be sought because the driver showed gross negligence in their decision to drive drunk.
Slidell Wrongful Death Attorneys
Our Slidell wrongful death attorneys are here to support their clients and work to make sure they receive the highest amount of financial compensation possible for their damages.
The Louisiana personal injury attorneys at Smiley Law Firm are concerned for the health and welfare of our clients. When an accident caused by another’s negligence causes harm, it is imperative that they reach out to a reliable Slidell car accident attorney as soon as they can.
If you were hurt in a car crash, contact our pedestrian accident attorneys in Slidell by calling our offices at 504-688-3494 or 504-822-2222, and schedule a free case review to learn about the legal options you have available.
Note: These posts are constructed with the use of secondary sources. These sources include but are not limited to local and state news stories, local and state police accident reports, social media platforms, and eyewitness accounts about injury accidents that take place in New Orleans and throughout Louisiana. We did not independently verify the fact surrounding this accident. If you locate any information that is inaccurate, please contact our firm and we will correct the post to reflect the most accurate information available. We will also remove this post upon request.
Disclaimer: These posts are created to raise awareness about the dangers of driving in Louisiana. We hope that by casting light on serious accidents like this one, other drivers will take heed, and avoid being seriously injured in a similar accident. This post is not a solicitation for business. The information contained in this post is not intended to be legal or medical advice. The photo used in this post was not taken at the accident scene.
