NOPD officer Natasha Hunter, 32, dies after alleged drunk driver strikes her while responding to accident along I-10 in New Orleans, Louisiana
NOPD officer succumbs to injuries from traffic crash
Around 2:30 a.m. Sunday, police say Nguyen disregarded warning lights and roadway flares in the area and crashed his black Acura into the rear of Hunter's marked patrol vehicle at a high rate of speed. Officer Hunter, who was in the area responding to a multi-vehicle traffic crash, sustained significant head trauma in the accident.
Nguyen was taken to the hospital for injuries he sustained during the crash. Officers detected a strong smell of alcohol on his breath and Nguyen later admitted to officers that he had consumed several alcoholic beverages earlier in the night. Toxicology results are pending.
Driver involved in fatal crash with NOPD officer booked on vehicular homicide charge
"This is a tragic loss for her family, friends, fellow officers and our entire community," NOPD Superintendent Michael Harrison said in a statement. "Officer Hunter was a dedicated public servant who loved her family, her job and serving her city. We will never forget the sacrifice she made and the hearts and prayers of our entire department our with her family today and always."
Hunter leaves behind a 5-year-old daughter and a sister who serves as a correctional officer for the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The Police Department said a public prayer memorial was scheduled for her at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Police Headquarters, 715 S. Broad St.
Officer Hunter was on 4-hour old crash scene when she was killed
The question posed to the NOPD Wednesday is why it took so long to clear the original accident from the highway. The NOPD said it is investigating to determine whether there was a delay in getting tow trucks to the scene.
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Why every fatality from a crash is not legally a wrongful death
After someone dies in a motor-vehicle accident, grieving family members and friends are often left with many questions. What caused the accident? Could it have been avoided? What do they do now that their loved one is gone?
Sometimes a fatal collision happens through no one's fault. Crashes caused by weather and road conditions, or by wildlife in the roadway, are examples. But when a fatal crash is caused by negligence, then family members should pursue a wrongful death claim, to uphold the victim's rights and begin the financial recovery process. Learn more about wrongful death claims here.
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