SERVING ASCENSION, ASSUMPTION & ST. JAMES PARISHES

Prairieville Man Sentenced on Vehicular Homicide Charge

          On March 11, 2019, Cory Newton of 42578 Baystone Ave. Prairieville, LA., age 28, pled guilty as charged to Vehicular Homicide. Newton was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Adam Koenig, and presiding over this matter was the Honorable Judge Jessie LeBlanc. This guilty plea stems from an arrest in connection with a 2015 fatal crash in St. James Parish which claimed the life of 25-year-old Brittany Harris of Vacherie.

          On March 8, 2015, troopers with Louisiana State Police responded to a 2-vehicle crash near the intersection of LA 3125 and LA 3213 in St. James Parish. Troopers were able to determine that Cory Newton was traveling southbound on LA 3125 approaching LA 3213 in a 2008 Nissan Altima while Brittany Harris was traveling eastbound on LA 3213 approaching LA 3125 in a 2007 Dodge Charger. Newton ignored a red-light signal and proceeded through the intersection where his vehicle struck the vehicle driven by Harris. Following the collision, Newton’s vehicle came to rest along the side of LA 3213. The vehicle driven by Harris eventually came to rest along the side of LA 3213 after striking a utility pole. Witnesses observed Newton walk away from the scene immediately following the collision. Newton was located shortly after and transported back to the scene. While interviewing Newton, troopers detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from his person. Newton agreed to submit to a series of Standardized Field of Sobriety Tests which he did poorly on. Newton agreed to submit to a chemical breath test which indicated that his blood alcohol concentration was over .15 g%. Newton was subsequently booked into the St. James Parish Detention Center on multiple traffic violations as well as Vehicular Homicide.

          Upon entering a guilty plea to the above-mentioned charge, sentencing was deferred to a later date pending a Pre-Sentence Investigation.

          On June 10, 2019, Newton appeared before Judge LeBlanc for sentencing. Judge LeBlanc ordered that Newton be sentenced to 10 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served. It was further ordered that 5 years of the said sentence are to be served without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence, and the remaining 5 years are to be suspended. Upon release from incarceration, the defendant is to be placed on 5 years supervised probation.