15-year-old Caroline Gill (L) and 17-year-old Maggie Dunn (R) of Brusly were killed on December 31, 2022, when Addis Police Officer David Cauthron was driving at a high rate of speed in pursuit of 24-year-old Tyquel Zanders of Baton Rouge.
David Cauthron, a former Addis police officer, pled guilty Monday to two counts of manslaughter related to a deadly car crash on New Year’s Eve in 2022. Cauthron slammed his unit into a vehicle with three teens during a high-speed chase and killed two teenage girls from Brusly High School. West Baton Rouge District Attorney Tony Clayton says Cauthron’s actions and comments before the accident were critical in the case.
“Speeds up to 110 miles per hour making statements like get the “F” off the road. Don’t you see David Cauthron coming. And right before he slammed into those children, he said “F” this is going to hurt.”
17-year-old Maggie Dunn and 16-year-old Caroline Gill died in the crash. Maggie’s brother, Liam Dunn, who was 20-years-old at the time, survived the crash, but suffered severe injuries. .
Cauthron was chasing Tyquel Zanders who was accused of stealing his family’s car in Baton Rouge. Clayton says Cauthron was traveling at a high rate of speed when he ran a red light before impact.
“He’d gotten speed of over 110 to 112 miles per hour at some point. For no reason other than the whole pursuit was ridiculous.”
Once released, Clayton says Cauthron will be restricted from working in law enforcement. He says the testimony from Dunn was heartbreaking for everyone in court.
“To hear that kid who was really really injured who survived. To hear him talk about when he came off anesthesia to find out that his sister had died and he couldn’t attend the funeral. There wasn’t a dry eye in the court room. And it was just gut-wrenching to hear all of that.”
Cauthron received a 32-year prison sentence, 22 years of the sentence are supsended. And pled guilty to one count of negligent injuring.
