Driver faces impaired driving charges after Lao New Year incident

A car struck participants at a Lao New Year parade in New Iberia, Louisiana, on Saturday, injuring approximately 15 people, some seriously. Authorities stated that the incident does not appear to be intentional. Acadian Ambulance transported 11 people to the hospital by ground and airlifted two others for urgent care, deploying ten ambulances and two medical helicopters to the scene. The annual Louisiana Lao New Year Festival parade, a tradition on Easter weekend, features live music, food, and a beauty pageant. Following the incident, festival organizers cancelled Saturday's musical events but allowed vendors to remain open.

On Saturday, more than 20 people were injured when a driver crashed into a crowd at a Louisiana parade celebrating the Lao New Year in Iberia Parish. The driver, suspected of being intoxicated, is in custody, and the sheriff's office believes the incident was not intentional. Eleven people were transported by ground and two by air for medical treatment. The annual Louisiana Lao New Year festival, which began Friday and was scheduled to run through Sunday, was celebrating Lao culture and traditions. Organizers canceled Saturday evening's musical performances and planned to reopen only religious services and vendors on Sunday if security resources were restored. The investigation is ongoing.