An early morning crash in Lafayette took the lives of three people. It happened a little after 5:00 am when a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed on E. Broussard struck another vehicle stopped at a traffic light and the stopped vehicle was pushed through the intersection into another vehicle while the striking vehicle ran into a utility pole. The driver of the initial crash, 21-year-old Joseph Prejean of Lafayette died at the scene. Two people in the second vehicle, 36-year-old Cherita Washington and 17-year-old Chase Washing of Duson also died as a result of their injuries. The person in the last vehicle struck suffered moderate injuries.
Last year in Louisiana, five law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty, compared to three in 2024. That’s the fifth highest in the country and second highest per capita. Nationwide in 2025, the number of line-of-duty deaths reached historic lows says Bill Alexander, the CEO of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.
Across the country, 44 officers were killed in firearm-related incidents, down from 52 in 2024 and 34 officers were killed in traffic-related incidents, down from 44 from the year before.
2026 is going to be a big year for elections in Louisiana, including the U.S. Senate race and several special elections to fill vacancies in the legislature. Andrew Greenstein reports.
Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”
Today is Epiphany, the day Christians around the world eat King Cake and celebrate the worship of baby Jesus by the Wisemen. Here in Louisiana January 6th marks the beginning of Carnival season. Dave Haydel of Haydel Bakery says Mardi Gras comes earlier this year with two fewer weeks in the season but he says last year, we had two weeks of snow and he says king cake prices are the same as last year too.