BRUSLY – An Addis police officer is facing criminal charges after striking and killing two teenage girls during a high-speed chase of a suspect Saturday, according to District Attorney Tony Clayton.
Officials told WBRZ that officer David Cauthron, 42, was arrested and booked Sunday night on two counts of negligent homicide and one count of negligent injuring. Jail officials said he is being held on a $100,000 bond. He was still jailed as of Monday morning.
“That cop has a lot of questions to answer pertaining to his speed and sheer negligence,” Clayton said earlier that same day. “The public can rest assured, we will follow the facts.”
Sources told WBRZ that the GPS inside Cauthron’s vehicle showed he was going about 86 miles per hour and did not hit his brakes before impact. Witnesses said Cauthron ran a red light and that the light had been red for about 20 seconds when his police unit reached the intersection.
The police unit struck the victims’ car, pushing it into the median of the highway. Two of the occupants, 17-year-old Maggie Dunn and 16-year-old Caroline Gill, were pronounced dead, and a third victim, Dunn’s teenage brother, was taken to a hospital in critical condition. Sources said the teens were heading to a store just minutes from home.
Investigators reviewed dash camera video and other footage from the crash before deciding to arrest Cauthron. He joined Addis Police in February 2022 and previously worked at the Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff’s Office.
“For these kids to not to have been able to start the New Year is inexcusable, but we’ll follow the facts first,” Clayton told the news outlet. “I just can’t put my arms around why (the officer) was driving at that rate of speed in pursuit of this vehicle. This officer is facing some serious issues.

Wbrz