Report: Man Accused In Fatal Crash Was Drunk

CLINTON, La. (AP) — Authorities say a Greensburg man accused of killing five people and injuring another two while driving drunk in East Feliciana Parish had a blood-alcohol content almost twice the legal limit.

The Advocate reports (http://bit.ly/L4yHei ) that Brett Gerald's blood-alcohol content was 0.15 percent, according to State Police spokesman Trooper Russell Graham II. In Louisiana, a blood-alcohol content of .08 percent is considered presumptive evidence of drunken driving.

Prior to being booked in Wednesday's fatal wreck, Gerald, 30, was arrested at least three times for drunken driving.

Gerald was arrested Thursday, hours after authorities say he crashed his pickup into a car carrying seven Baton Rouge residents, including two children. The fatal collision occurred at 9:12 p.m. Wednesday near Slaughter.

State Police have said five of the seven people in the car were killed instantly, while two teen passengers are in critical condition.

The driver of the car was Brenda Gaines, 64, of Baton Rouge. The four deceased passengers, all of Baton Rouge, were Denise Gaines, 33; Diamond Johnson, 12; Jyran Johnson, 6; and Angela Mosely, 35.

The injured teens are Rogerick Johnson Jr., 13, and Willie Gaines, 15.

Gerald was booked into East Feliciana Parish Prison on five counts of vehicular homicide, two counts of first-degree vehicular negligent injury and one count each of second-offense DWI, reckless operation and driving left of center.

Gerald sustained non-life threatening injuries.

Gerald was released from prison after his family posted a property bond of more than $256,000.

The maximum penalty for a conviction of vehicular homicide is 30 years per count, according to state law.

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Information from: The Advocate, http://theadvocate.com