Wrongful-Death Suit Filed In Relation to Parade Incident

An incident during last year’s Krewe of Excalibur Carnival parade in Metairie has resulted in civil repercussions.  Don J. Dauzat, 52, was struck and killed by an allegedly drunk motorist who was purportedly pursued by a Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Deputy at the time.  Now, Dazuat’s family has filed a wrongful-death suit in the 24th Judicial District Court in Gretna, naming the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Excalibur, King Arthur, PFJ Float Co., and others as defendants.

According to the suit, Dauzat had finished dropping off the float he was pulling for the Excalibur parade and was transporting a tractor to a staging area for the Knights of King Arthur parade.  It was at this time, about 2:50 a.m., that he was struck by a 2002 Ford Explorer driven by Michael Burrle near Lapalco Boulevard and Paxton Street in Harvey.  The impact caused the tractor to roll approximately 70 feet and flung Dauzat from it, resulting in severe injuries to his skull and brain.  He was transported to a New Orleans hospital but died less than a day later from his injuries.

Burrle was booked on suspicion of DWI and was eventually charged with vehicular homicide to which he plead not guilty.

The lawsuit claims that the deputy, at this time unnamed, who was pursuing Burrle violated Louisiana’s “due care” standard by chasing Burrle in excess of the posted speed limit, 40 miles per hour, without using emergency lights or siren.  As to the other defendants, the suit accuses them of failing to provide police escort for tractor drivers, the failure to do so contributing to Dauzat’s untimely demise.

The suit seeks appropriate damages.  Dauzat is survived by his wife and two children.

The attorneys at Broussard, David & Moroux have the knowledge and experience necessary to handle cases of this nature and will fight to obtain fair compensation for your injuries. If you or a loved one has suffered harm because of the negligence of another, contact the attorneys at Broussard, David & Moroux to discuss your legal rights at (337) 233-2323 (local) or (888) 337-2323 (toll-free).

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