Lawsuit filed on behalf of Brusly teenagers killed in police pursuit, crash

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - The parents of a Brusly teenager killed during a police chase on New Year’s Eve have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the officer accused of crashing into them, along with his police department and BRPD.

Caroline Gill and Maggie Dunn died December 31, 2022 after a police officer hit them while speeding through an intersection during a chase with a suspect in a stolen car. Dunn’s brother Liam, who was sitting in the back seat during the crash, was also seriously injured.

Gill’s parents filed the lawsuit Wednesday alleging Officer David Lee Cauthorn, Addis PD, and five patrol officers with BRPD engaged in reckless and dangerous driving practices, violating their departments internal pursuit policies. The lawsuits specifically name Cauthorn, The Town of Addis (Addis PD), East Baton Rouge Parish (BRPD), and Risk Management, a liability insurance provider.

Addis’ Officer David Lee Cauthorn was reportedly driving a patrol unit at 86 mph when he ran a red light on La 1, slamming into the car Dunn was driving. Gill was sitting in the passenger seat at the time of the crash. Both girls died from their injuries.

Cauthorn, who has since resigned from the department, was indicted on two counts of manslaughter, aggravated obstruction of a highway, negligent injury, malfeasance in office, and reckless operation of a vehicle.

The federal civil rights lawsuit is asking for compensation, punitive damages and attorney’s fees.

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