Trial begins for the Nov. crash that claimed three Nicholls students' lives
A trial over the car-crash death of three Nicholls State University Freshmen and a drunk driver began today.
Joey Paul Clement, 40, of Chackbay, is charged with three counts of homicide for the deaths of 19-year-old Lily Dufrene, 18-year-old Hali Coss, and 18-year-old Michaila Bowling, all of Luling. The crash occurred Nov. 20, 2021.
Clement had three prior DWI's and this would mark his fourth. He faces a fine between $2,000 and $15,000 and imprisonment of between five and 30 years for each count of vehicular homicide.
The trial is held in Judge F. Hugh Larose's Div. E Courtroom in the Thibodaux Courthouse, Monday, Aug. 21. The case is being prosecuted by Jason Schatagnier and Shaun George, of the Lafourche Parish District Attorney's Office. Clement is being represented by Attorneys George Ledet and Tracy Schwab.
"This trial began on Hwy 20," Shatagnier said. "But the justice comes in this courtroom."
The courtroom was packed with nearly 100 family and friends of both parties. Their faces were worn with both grief and anger as opening statements were delivered.
Schatagnier delivered a lengthy speech laying out how the case was investigated and said he would prove Clement was both speeding and impaired at the time of the crash.
He argued that Clement was traveling between 85 and 93 mph when the two vehicles impacted. Leaving behind a gouged highway, and a scorching fire from the grisly crash which claimed the three student's lives.
"These speeds are reserved for interstate travel," he said. He then pressed home the point, "speed, speed, speed."
According to State Police in a release after the initial investigation, Clement was driving a 2019 Ford F-150 north on La. 20 just after midnight when his pickup crossed the centerline and crashed head-on into the SUV Dufrene was driving.
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Schatagnier then said he would provide an expert who would attest that Clement's blood alcohol content was at .220, three times the legal limit in Louisiana. Blood drawn 3 hours after the incident placed Clement's alcohol level at .16, he said, two times the legal limit in Louisiana. The Louisiana legal limit is below .08.
"Why is that important," Schatagnier asked. "Because it proves speed, and most importantly impairment were contributing factors."
Ledet followed behind Schatagnier, and said the case was clearly an emotional one, and said he challenged the State's case on its evidence and the conclusions drawn.
"Why was the other vehicle in Mr. Clement's line of traffic?" he asked.
Ledet never challenged that Clement was intoxicated and instead argued that Clement's intoxication had nothing to do with the resulting death of the three young women.
He claimed witness testimony would prove the impact took place in Clement's lane. He said the juror's had a duty to question that reason, and find Clement not guilty for their deaths because he did not cause the wreck.
"I don't understand how impairment leads to speed, leads to the other vehicle entering his lane of traffic," Ledet said. "This is a difficult case, but it's not easy for you as jurors, it's not your right to say, 'I don't want to be the one to find him not guilty,' but that's exactly what you have sworn to do."
This article originally appeared on The Courier: Trial begins: Nov. crash that claimed three Nicholls students' lives
