I'm Colonel Robert Hodgeges, superintendent of Louisiana State Police. You're about to view a critical incident briefing video that is intended to give the community a better understanding of the incident that occurred. The video is inclusive of evidence related to the incident, which may include 911 calls, body one camera footage, and other relevant information. As this comprehensive investigation develops, our understanding of the incident may change as additional evidence is collected, analyzed, and reviewed. The department's ability to investigate these incidents relies on the impartial and transparent investigations as well as considering the potential criminal responsibility of those involved. On Tuesday, December 17th, 2024, Louisiana State Police Troop C began investigating a fatal crash that occurred on LA20 near Perez Lane and Chay, located in Lefj Parish. This investigative briefing has been prepared to provide clarification of the facts and an accurate depiction of the evidence in the moments leading up to the crash and the subsequent investigation. Due to differences in technology, the timestamps on the business surveillance footage may not align with the actual time data recorded by Louisiana State Police based on recorded radio communications. According to the video timestamp, at 12:03 p.m. and 52 seconds, a green Dodge Charger is seen traveling south in the opposing lane on LA20 at a high rate of speed, passing three passenger vehicles and one loaded 18-wheeler in a designated no passing zone with a 40 mph posted speed limit. As a green Dodge Charger returns to the southbound lane, aggressive braking and engine deceleration are immediately followed by a crash that can be heard on the surveillance footage. According to the video timestamp, at 12:03 p.m. and 54 seconds, a portion of the crash can be seen as it occurs. Moments before the crash, the gold pickup truck abruptly veers out of the northbound lane into a business while the green Charger is approaching in the same lane. Immediately after the crash occurred, the green Charger was observed on surveillance video and by witnesses traveling through the crash scene and continues north on LA20, failing to stop. At the same time, all other vehicles remain at the scene to provide assistance. >> [music] >> The briefing will now transition to the troopers response and investigation. At 12:00 p.m., a two vehicle injury crash with road blockage was dispatched to Louisiana State Police Troop C via the 911 dispatch system. The responding trooper arrived on the scene at 12:07 p.m. and was immediately met by numerous witnesses who described a green Charger driving aggressively and causing the crash. The video has been edited for time purposes. >> Two, be advised. We got total road blockage on LA 20. If you get a chance, can you adise code of injury? >> It's a natural instinct to turn and then she had >> these two three charger flying that way. A green charger going that way. >> There was a green charger. >> There's a green charger caused all that. >> SRT8. He caused all that. He went past the cars way back there, sir. >> The green the green charger collided with these cars. He went right he went right. >> Okay. >> Right now >> and she had no choice. >> She hits the >> What's How are the injuries? What What >> She got a broken ankle broken ankle back injuries and then like >> two back injuries, one broken ankle. >> Yeah. I'm not I just told him not to move. You know what I'm saying? >> You said something about a green Charger. What? Who? Who told you something about a green card, bro? >> I'm 18 right there, sir. >> Okay. So, you said you you saw it. So, what did you see happen? >> He went to pass him. >> I say when I he went to pass me cars back there back there around um >> around the curve. All right. >> Okay. >> All right. >> He come down, right? When he come down, I got Mr. He had his brother that was that he was taken to the emergency room to hospital or something like that. Chemo, something like that. But I got his number also to verify the number cuz he was a car that was in front of her. When that green charger came, he went caused this whole big traffic. So everybody went to hidden brakes cuz that the charger I thought he hit the gold truck head on. So he jammed on brakes. She was coming down. They was going that way when I saw >> which way was the charger going? The charger charger going this way. Was going this way. >> She was coming this way. >> They was going this way also. Mr. Dennis J on brakes. She went to Dodge. And that's when >> she came over. I was about to hit him, you know, on the left side. She come over and hit him. Hit him. >> Which which 18 wheel were you driving? >> The red one right there. >> So the Charger, I guess, passed you up. >> The Charger behind. It was It was cars behind me cuz I'm going to take my time. >> And the Charger passed all was passing all these cars in this. And >> so almost hit this one head on. >> No, he almost hit it. It was a gold truck. I got his number right here. That's why I take his number and his name. >> Almost hit the gold truck head on. Yeah, that that's his number and um phone number behind the gold truck. >> So So the gold truck What where's what the gold truck do? >> The gold truck in this area right here. >> The gold truck slams on his bra. >> Slams on brakes to stop the charger. The charger swer's back in. >> Okay. >> Cut somebody else off. Whoever was behind them. >> Okay. >> But then they slammed they was um No, the charger he swore in in front of them. They slammed on brakes and and by this time Mr. He slips through. Right. >> Okay. As he slips through, she's coming. She like to ram the back of the um the gold truck that >> she almost hit the back of M. >> Yeah. M was miss truck hit. >> No, no, >> he he was missed. >> Okay. So the truck Mr. He slammed on his right truck was right up there, >> right? He slams on his brakes to avoid the charger. >> Yeah. >> This car What? >> Cut that car off if I'm not mistaken. >> So what what does this car do? It just swerves out the way to avoid. >> She turned and I was watching it too. She turned the wrong way. >> Instead of going towards the post, she turned this way. >> Okay. So, she turned this way and then this car was just coming. I got you. I got you. >> And then the charger came number was in a gold truck. >> Okay. >> Charger passed in between the >> charger stopped. >> That's to you know. >> Mhm. >> Okay. >> And see what happened. charger that stopped. >> It's a green charger. >> Yeah, a green charger. >> When he seen what happened, he he he almost hit me cuz he came right here. >> He's the only one that he one of the only ones that that jumped out of the trailer. Everybody else turned around with the other way. He jumped out of traffic and eed through here and went on down the road. Okay. >> Okay. Look, um I I know it's hurting right now, but do you think you could just tell me briefly what happened >> or do you remember? >> I just know the truck was stopping on brakes. The other car was trying to pass the other car. I was trying to dodge but not hitting him by coming around. >> Okay. Do you remember how fast you were going? >> The speed. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> While on scene, the investigating trooper obtained written and recorded statements. The trooper also spoke with additional witnesses via phone and ultimately obtained written statements later in the investigation. After the crash, the passenger in the Kia Sto died. As part of the continued investigation, the investigating trooper made contact with the driver of the gold truck at a later date to obtain an official written statement based on previous conversations. Troopers also received an additional witness statement describing the erratic driving behavior of the Green Charger 10 minutes before the crash. Following the onseen investigation, troopers identified the green charger as a vehicle of interest and utilized 21 separate surveillance video cameras to capture the uninterrupted path of the green charger from the crash scene to a Tibido business 11 mi away. Through the use of investigative tools, troopers were able to obtain the license plate number of the green charger on December 19th, 2024. On December 26th, 2024, troopers determined that Kairen Lacy was the driver of the green Charger at the time of the crash. Just prior to the crash, Lacy was illegally in the opposing lane, passing southbound vehicles. The gold truck traveling north veered right to avoid a head-on collision with the green Charger. As the gold truck veered right, the driver of the Kia Cadenza saw the approaching green Charger. In reaction, the Kia Cadenza driver swerved left into the southbound lane and impacted a northbound Kia Sto. Through the investigation, troopers determined that the driver of the gold truck reacted appropriately to avoid a head-on collision with the green Charger, which was approaching at a high rate of speed. In consideration of the high speed of the green charger compared to the surrounding and opposing vehicles, the reaction time of the involved drivers was greatly diminished. Since the incident occurred, the Louisiana State Police never reported that the green charger impacted any of the involved vehicles. However, all evidence collected supports the conclusion that Lacy's reckless operation of the green charger in oncoming traffic triggered the chain of events involving the other drivers, ultimately resulting in the fatal crash. Additionally, troopers determined that less than 10 minutes after the crash occurred, evidence supports that Lacy's first outgoing phone call was to a Baton Rouge area personal injury and defense attorney. After consultation with the LFU Parish District Attorney's Office on January 2nd, 2025, an arrest warrant was signed on January 8th, 2025 through the 17th Judicial Court for Kairen Lacy. In coordination with his attorney, Lacy was arrested on January 12th, 2025 at the LFuch Parish Correctional Center. The driver of the Kia Cadenza was initially issued a citation for following too close, which was later amended to driving left of center. This incident resulted in numerous injuries and loss of life. All involved victims deserve a thorough and complete investigation based on all available factual evidence. Additional investigative reports and videos can be utilized through the trending topics link on the GovQa platform.