Chris Richard (image via Pointe Coupee Sheriff’s Office)
Earlier this week, Lafayette Parish, Louisiana Assistant District Attorney Chris Richard, 64, was arrested on charges of felony hit and run, negligent injuring, and careless operation following an August 8th boating incident on the False River. A party boat allegedly being driven by Richard struck three children, ages 8, 11, and 14, while they were in a tube being pulled by another boat.
Two of the children struck were taken to the hospital, and according to Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff Rene Thibodeaux, the 8-year-old faces complications from the incident:
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“He is still facing complications right now as a result of this accident,” Thibodeaux said, referring to the 8-year-old. “The other child had a bruised ankle, the third child had a few bruises.”
“Thank God there’s no fatalities, but one child is still facing some downtime and some injuries right now,” he added. “He could not feel his legs. That’s a scary moment for a child, the parents, and everyone else there.”
According to reports, there was initially some dispute on whether Richard provided any assistance to those he hit:
“The boat never even stopped,” witness Jeff Guidry told the outlet. “They full throttled never checked on the kids, and came ran all the way back here. They all jumped off the boat like they were going to the bathroom and hauled ass out of here.”
Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff Rene Thibodeaux said the defendant did, however, initially get out of his boat in an effort to check on the children but then quickly got back into the 20-foot vessel, returned to his campsite and then headed back home to Carencro, La.
Despite being quickly identified by authorities, there was a delay in Richard’s arrest. Some have pointed to favoritism for the hold up:
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Tara Elwell owns a camp on False River. She also happens to be an attorney from Lafayette.
“It surprised me that a fellow attorney could bail on a situation,” Elwell said. “We are supposed to be officers of the court and do good by people. To leave children knowing they are hurt. I can’t understand it.”
Elwell said the situation reeks of favoritism by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
“I don’t understand that because they seem to police this place pretty well,” Elwell said. “They are on and off the barges and are always here. To not follow through with an action does surprise me.”
But the sheriff pointed to factual questions that led to the delay:
“There was a hang up there, I think that’s why it took so long. There was confusion – did he render any help to the kids, or just the two people he was pulling on his boat? A lot of people said, ‘Why did it take so long?’ I understand that. The end result, I felt, was coming.”
If convicted, Richard faces over 10 years in prison and a fine. He is currently release on $40,000 bond.
Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).