Collisions on Bridges

The bridges of southern Louisiana live up to their storied reputation. Driving across the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, where neither shore of the lake is visible for a 10-mile stretch in the middle is a rite of passage, especially since, depending on which direction you drive, you either end up in Covington, where an unassuming roadside restaurant serves chicken and rolls that make you forget that there is such a thing as chicken and biscuits, or in New Orleans, where you get a strange feeling that Coop’s Place on Decatur Street may hold the secret to immortality; if its Green Goddess salad dressing does not convince you of this, the fact that it survived Hurricane Katrina without a scratch will, as anyone who has seen the sign outside, which has remained unchanged since the 1990s, can tell you. Your first ride on the Huey P. Long Bridge is not for the faint of heart; it is so rickety that you are amazed it can even support the weight of your car, much less rush hour traffic, and railroad trains. Bridges hold a unique set of hazards everywhere, and in Louisiana, where even the roads on dry land are a veritable death trap, they are especially dangerous. If you have been injured in a traffic accident on a bridge in Louisiana, contact a Houma car accident lawyer.

TV Journalist Dies in Motorcycle Accident on Crescent City Connection

Mark Deane of Gretna was a sports producer for the WGNO news network in New Orleans. In August 2024, Deane was riding his motorcycle in the eastbound lanes of the Crescent City Connection. A Toyota Camry struck him from behind, causing him to fall from his motorcycle.  The Camry then struck a Nissan Rouge. Dean was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, despite that he was wearing a helmet. He was 48 years old. The occupants of the other two vehicles were not injured seriously enough to require medical treatment.

The driver of the Camry was Alberto Martinez-Sanchez of Gretna. He was arrested at the scene of the accident.  Martinez-Sanchez, 29, is facing charges of negligent homicide. The WDSU 6 News website did not include any additional details about what caused the accident. For example, it did not indicate whether Martinez-Sanchez was speeding or whether he was under the influence of alcohol.

Regardless of whether Martinez-Sanchez is convicted, Deane’s family has the right to file a wrongful death lawsuit in civil court. Plaintiffs in wrongful death lawsuits can prevail in their cases even if the person who caused the accident pleads guilty, is acquitted at trial, or gets the criminal charges dropped before the criminal case goes to trial. The standard of evidence required to win a civil case is “a preponderance of the evidence,” which is a much lower standard than the “beyond a reasonable doubt” required in criminal cases.

Contact the Law Office of Patrick H. Yancey About Car Accident Cases

A car accident lawyer can help you if you have suffered a serious injury in a motor vehicle accident on a bridge. Contact the Law Office of Patrick H. Yancey in Houma, Louisiana, to set up a consultation about your case.

Sources

https://www.wdsu.com/article/new-orleans-journalist-killed-ccc-bridge/61959940