Local authorities hope that a “vehicle crash” outside a local high school will make a strong impression on area teenagers.
With Homecoming coming up at Monroe Neville High School, Louisiana State Police and other first responders descended on campus to give students a demonstration about what can happen in alcohol-related vehicle crashes. The “injuries” ranged from mild to severe; one passenger was ejected from a vehicle and “declared dead at the scene.” LSP officers explained that one of the “drivers” was impaired and would face several criminal charges, including DUI manslaughter. Area schools, including Neville, have staged similar vehicle crash demonstrations in each of the last three years.
“We are trying to teach them you can make a better choice than driving home and getting involved in something like this,” said Troop F Public Information Officer Michael Reichardt. [Read more…] about "Fatal Accident" At Area High School
Bizarre Collision Creates Liability Questions
Authorities identified the victim in a fatal pedestrian-auto wreck which occurred in Bienville Parish, but legal responsibility remains uncertain.
The incident took place on U.S. Highway 371 south of State Highway 516. Investigators state that 27-year-old George Arkeem, of Minden, was northbound on 371 when he came upon an adult woman lying prostrate in the roadway. He was unable to avoid running over her and she died almost instantly. The victim, who apparently had no identification on her person, was later determined to be 51-year-old Theresa Williams, of Ringgold.
State police do not expect to bring charges at this time. [Read more…] about Bizarre Collision Creates Liability Questions
Sooner State Stands Up For Injured Workers
Neighboring Texas is the only remaining state that allows employer to opt out of the workers’ compensation system after the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that such a system upset the so-called Grand Bargain.
Three years ago, large retailers and other large employers convinced Oklahoma lawmakers to pass a law that allowed them to self-insure against workplace injuries; after a successful push in the Sooner State, advocates introduced similar bills in Mississippi, Tennessee, South Carolina, and several other states as part of a nationwide push to effectively dismantle the workers’ compensation system. But the tables started to turn when a national media outlet published a study that opt-out plans meant substantially lower benefits for injured workers. Next, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that a rather arcane attorneys’ fee structure was unconstitutional, and the move is expected to give injured workers more options. Earlier this year, Oklahoma’s highest court struck down a provision that sharply curtailed benefits for permanently disabled workers. [Read more…] about Sooner State Stands Up For Injured Workers