Police: Truck used to kill

BY JEFF MOORE, THE DAILY IBERIAN
Published/Last Modified on Friday, June 29, 2007 2:22 PM CDT

BROUSSARD - A New Iberia man was arrested Thursday after police say he ran over two men, killing one and seriously injuring the other, with the pickup truck he was driving.

Kenneth Britton II, 36, was charged with second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder and resisting arrest. He was booked into the Lafayette Parish Jail on bonds of $250,000, $150,000 and $750.

Broussard Police Chief Brannon Decou said officers responded to Shop Rite on U.S. 90 at 1:25 a.m. Thursday.

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The two victims, Jack Louviere, 22, of Youngsville, and Jonathan Wainright, 23, of Broussard, were laying in the parking lot with injuries consistent with them being run over.

Decou said Louviere and Wainright were pumping gasoline into their motorcycles when witnesses saw the two men get into a verbal argument with another customer. The suspect then got into a beige 1995 Chevrolet pickup truck, accelerated rapidly and drove in between the gas pumps, running over both Louviere and Wainright.

The driver then drove off toward New Iberia on U.S. 90.

Louviere was pronounced dead at the scene. Wainright was taken to a local hospital by Acadian Ambulance.

Decou said a witness provided police with the license plate number of the truck. Officers found the vehicle at Billeaud's Storage Facility on Louisiana 182 and apprehended Britton after a brief foot chase.

Decou said he did not have an update of Wainright's condition as of this morning.

He said he did not know whether he was able to speak with investigators.

Decou said the victims did not know Britton prior to the incident. He said he did not know why they were arguing, though he did say Britton appeared intoxicated at the time.

"It started in the store, and then when (Britton) came out, they continued," he said.

Comments

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