National Transportation Safety Board officials are asking for the public’s help in the investigation into the plane crash that killed five people in Lafayette Saturday. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 3 (32) I’m Kevin Barnhart”

The medical director of the Lourdes Burn Unit in Lafayette says there is a long recovery ahead for the lone plane crash survivor, Wade Berzas. He’s in critical condition with burns over 75-percent of his body.

Crowley police have charged 35-year-old Justin Duhon with Felony Hit and Run. Authorities say Duhon’s pickup truck hit a 10-year-old boy who was riding a bike he just received for Christmas…
cut 8 (11) “…split-second”
That’s Crowley Police Chief Jimmy Broussard, who says the child is in critical, but stable condition at a Baton Rouge hospital. Duhon was arrested in New Orleans. That’s where he fled after hitting the child.

State Police will be out in force tonight hunting drunk drivers on one of the biggest party nights of the year. Louisiana Highway Safety Commission Executive Director Lisa Freeman says drunk driving crashes spike in the 100 hours before New Years, with 74 injuries and two deaths from drunk crashes last year.
Cut 10 (08) “…good thing.”

37-year-old Wade Berzas the sole survivor in Saturday’s fatal plane crash in Lafayette that killed five people has burns to over 75-percent of his body. The medical director of the Our Lady of Lourdes Burn Unit, Doctor Joey Barrios, says Berzas has a long recovery, but he has several factors in his favor, his young age and physical health before the crash…
cut 14 (09) “…more critical”
Barrios says Berzas is on a breathing tube and medically sedated.

50-year-old Felicia Payne of Alexandria is facing a D-U-I charge after she drove her vehicle in the State Police Troop E building Sunday morning. State Police Master Trooper Scott Moreau says there’s no excuse to drive drunk this holiday season…
Cut 11 (10) “…tommorow.”
Payne was not injured, but her vehicle did cause significant damage to the Troop A building.

A wreck in Acadia Parish killed two teens from Morse. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart.”

And in Crowley, police have charged 35-year-old Justin Duhon with Felony Hit and Run. Authorities say Duhon’s pickup truck hit a 10-year-old boy who was riding his bike. The child is reportedly in critical, but stable condition at a Baton Rouge hospital. Duhon was arrested in New Orleans. That’s where he fled after hitting the child.

A wreck in Acadia Parish killed two teens from Morse. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart.” 

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A California ban on alligator products has been halted by a judge. Matt Doyle has the story.

cut  2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

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Two teens from Morse are dead following a wreck on I-10 in Acadia Parish just before 8 o’clock last night.  Trooper Thomas Gossen says excessive speed was a factor in the accident that claimed the lives Kyler Mier and his passenger Dante Lacombe, both 19.

Cut 3 (10) “…LA 91 overpass.”

Recent studies show speed is a contributing factor in 27% of all fatal crashes nationwide.  Both men were pronounced dead at the scene.  Gossen says impairment is unknown, but it appears the driver may have been competing with another vehicle.

Cut 4 (08) “…are not determined.”

Gossen says Mier was properly restrained, but Lacomb was not.

Cut 5 (09) “…that are buckled.”

The crash remains under investigation.

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A federal judge temporarily halts a California law banning the sale of alligator products in the Golden State, a law officials say would devastate gator conservation efforts in the Bayou State.

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries General Counsel Cole Garrett says it’s good news because the California fashion industry buys a lot of gator products, which pays for conservation.

Cut 6 (10) “…in place.”

The new rule was the result of a California law passed in the 60s that was set to take effect on January first.

The gator population is thriving in Louisiana, with over two million in the wild, and 800,000 on farms, and Garrett says the ruling buys Louisiana time to save them…

Cut 7 (07) “…merits.”

The federal court will hear the Commission’s motion for a preliminary injuction on April 24th.

Garrett says they plan to pitch to the courts that not only would a ban harm conservation efforts, it would create a messy regulatory precedent…

Cut 8 (12) “…by state.”

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50-year-old Felicia Payne of Alexandria was arrested after she allegedly drove drunk into the State Police Troop E building.  State Police Master Trooper Scott Moreau says thankfully there were no injuries, but Payne’s vehicle caused extensive damage.

Cut 9 (11) “…sample.”

Moreau says it was a real shock for troopers to have a drunk driver plow into their office at 5 AM, but it is a reminder that everyone is impacted by impaired drivers, even those behind thick walls…

Cut 10 (10) “…tolerate it.”

Moreau says there’s no excuse to drive drunk this holiday season, and this incident is a good reminder to get yourself a DD or Uber if you’re planning to drink tomorrow night.

Cut 11 (10) “…tommorow.”

While the arrest was made by State Police, the investigation is being handled by Alexandria Police.

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The sole surviving passenger from Saturday’s fatal plane crash in Lafayette that killed five people remains in critical condition, but there is hope Wade Berzas will survive despite burns to over 75-percent of his body. Doctor Joey Barrios, medical director of the Our Lady of Lourdes Burn Unit, says Berzas is recovering after undergoing a two-hour surgery today…

Cut 12 (08) “…unwavering faith” 

Barrios says Berzas faces an extensive recovery, but he’ll receive around the clock care.

Cut 13 (09) “for him”  

Berzas also has a dislocated shoulder and lacerations to his head. But Barrios says Berzas is 37-years-old which helps, plus he was in good health before the crash

Cut 14 (09) “…more crticial”

Barrios says Berzas has not spoken about his near-death experience as he’s on a breathing tube and medically sedated.

Investigators continue to look for a cause into Saturday’s deadly plane crash in Lafayette that killed five people and left one person in critical condition. Matt Doyle has more…
voicer 1 (32) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

When the plane went down, three people on the ground were also injured. One of those is Danielle Britt who is at the University Medical Center Burn Unit in New Orleans. A Go Fund Me account was set up to raise two-thousand dollars, so far 26-thousand dollars has been raised.

Two teens from Morse are dead following a wreck on I-10 in Acadia Parish just before 8 o’clock last night. Trooper Thomas Gossen says excessive speed was a factor in the crash that claimed the lives Kyler Mier and his passenger Dante Lacombe, both 19.
Cut 3 (10) “…LA 91 overpass.”
Gossen says impairment is unknown, but it appears the driver may have been competing with another vehicle.

As 2019 ends, we remember those who passed away. In August, former Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco died at the age of 76. Blanco was at the helm of the state through hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Governor John Bel Edwards says Blanco was known as the education governor…
cut 12 (13) “….a brighter future”
Also passing away this year, U-L Lafayette baseball coach Tony Robichaux, novelist Ernest Gaines and New Orleans singer and piano player Doctor John.

Federal investigators say it will likely take at least a year before they know what caused a twin-engine plane crash in Lafayette on Saturday, killing five people. National Transportation Safety Board investigator Dr. Jennifer Rodi says the plane climbed to 900 feet, before descending below 700 feet, for reasons unknown…
Cut 4 (11) “trees”
Investigators say there was no distress call before the crash and the plane did not have an onboard flight data recorder.

Despite a 13-and-3 record, the Saints will not have a bye in the playoffs. Because Green Bay and San Francisco both won yesterday, New Orleans will host Minnesota on Sunday in the wild card round. After yesterday’s 42-10 win over Carolina Coach Sean Payton says they are not sweating it…
cut 8 (09) “…home game”

2019 was a year full of memorable moments. The Louisiana sports world was left with a bad taste in its mouth when the Saints lost the opportunity to go to the Super Bowl because of poor officiating in the NFC Championship game. But the year is ending well, as the Saints are heading to the playoffs, LSU is undefeatede, and Quarterback Joe Burrow brought the Heisman Trophy back to LSU for the first time in 60 years.
Cut 10 (14) “…(applause).”

LSU will face Clemson on January 13th in New Orleans in the National Championship game. Tiger Rag Editor Ron Higgins says it’s another matchup between two great offenses…
cut 15 (09) “…the ball”

It’s a difficult week for many in Louisiana today, because of the tragic plane crash in Lafayette on Saturday morning that killed five people. Journalist Carley McCord is one of the five people who died. The daughter-in-law of LSU offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger touched many lives.

Also dead, 51-year-old Ian Biggs, who was the pilot.  59-year-old Robert Vaughn Crisp II, 51-year-old Gretchen Vincent, and her 15-year-old son, Michael. Lafayette-Mayor President Joel Robideaux says many people are hurting…
cut 6 (07) “….period”
Federal investigators expect a long and difficult investigation. No distress call was made before the crash, the plane did not have an onboard flight data recorder and the small plane burst into flames.

LSU is a 5.5 point favorite in the January 13th national championship game versus Clemson. Tiger Rag Editor Ron Higgins says Clemson Coach Dabo Swinney likes playing the underdog role…
cut 14 (09) “…disrespected”
LSU’s unbelievable season is one of our top stories this year. Another top story, Governor John Bel Edwards re-election victory over GOP challenger Eddie Rispone in a runoff by a margin of two-percent. In his victory speech, Edwards outlined his plans for what to expect the next four years…
cut 11 (10) “…minimum wage”
24 states are set to raise the minimum wage this year, but the prospects of passing such legislation in Louisiana do not look good.

Federal investigators say it will likely take at least a year before they know what caused a twin-engine plane crash in Lafayette on Saturday, killing five people on their way to see the Tigers in the Peach Bowl. National Transportation Safety Board investigator Dr. Jennifer Rodi says the plane climbed to 900 feet, before descending below 700 feet, for reasons unknown…
Cut 4 (11) “trees”
The N-T-S-B says the plane burst into flames, injuring three people on the ground. There was no distress call before the crash and the plane did not have an onboard flight data recorder.

A Go Fund me account for one of the people injured on the ground is at 24-thousand dollars. Danielle Britt is at the University Medical Center Burn Unit in New Orleans. St. Michael High School in Baton Rouge has established a scholarship in honor of journalist Carley McCord who was killed in the crash.

Despite a dominant 42-10 win over Carolina Sunday that gave the Black and Gold a 13-3 record, the Saints will not have a first-round bye in the playoffs, instead, they will host sixth-seeded Minnesota on Sunday. New Orleans needed a win and a loss by either the Packers or 49ers to get a week off. Coach Sean Payton says it was out of their hands, but the team certainly held up its end…
cut 7 (08) “…edge”
New Orleans will face the Vikings at noon on Sunday.

After a historic 63-28 dismantling of Oklahoma in the Peach Bowl LSU heads home to take on Clemson two weeks from today in the Superdome for the National Championship Game. Tiger Rag Editor Ron Higgins says considering the competition, it was the greatest single-game performance by any LSU team, ever.
Cut 13 (12) “…complete”
If they want to raise the trophy on January 13th, the Tigers will have to end Clemson’s 29-game winning streak.