Louisiana Police Officer Charged With DWI After Crash That Left Child Hurt

The Baton Rouge Police Department has confirmed that an officer was charged with a DWI after a crash in West Feliciana Parish on Sunday left a child injured.

Louisiana State Police responded to the crash on U.S. 61, north of La. Highway 10 in the evening on Sunday, July 14, 2024.

An investigation by LSP determined that a 2009 Toyota Rav4 driven by Walter Lopez, 29, was going south on U.S. 61.

At the same time, State police said Zaria Brown, 23, was driving a 2024 Nissan Kicks northbound on U.S. 61. For unknown reasons, the Toyota driven by Lopez crossed the median and hit the Nissan.

Lopez was seriously injured in the crash and was taken to a local hospital.

Troopers also said Brown was seriously injured and was not wearing a seatbelt. A 3-year-old was a passenger in Brown's vehicle, and though they were properly restrained, the child was injured.

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Both Brown and Lopez were arrested and charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated, officials said. They were booked into the West Feliciana Parish Jail.

A spokesperson for the Baton Rouge Police Department said Brown was an officer with their department at the time of the incident and is currently on administration leave for a pending internal affairs investigation. However, the department said it is for something completely separate.

This is a developing story and we'll update it as new information becomes available.