NEW IBERIA, La. (AP) — What began as a vibrant Lao New Year celebration in south Louisiana quickly turned into a scene of panic and confusion when a vehicle drove into a crowd, leaving families scrambling for safety and searching for loved ones.
Witnesses say the incident unfolded without warning during what had been a festive parade filled with music, water-splashing traditions and families gathered along the route.
“It was just a normal day listening to music, getting sprayed with water, having fun,” said Eli Anderson, who was attending the celebration. “Then I noticed a guy get into his car. He starts revving his engine, inching closer to the parade. I thought he was joining in… and then he just plowed through everybody.”
In seconds, celebration turned into chaos.
“In that moment, my brain just stopped,” Anderson said. “I just thought, ‘Is this actually happening?’”
As people ran in different directions, parents rushed to locate their children. Anderson’s mother, Jospha, said her only focus was finding her son. But once she did, the reality of the situation set in.
“I was able to locate him and my friend safely,” she said. “But once I found them, I started looking around, and you just saw bodies everywhere. It was like a twilight zone. Like this wasn’t real.”
For others, the chaos was especially difficult to process particularly those responsible for children.
Dasia Henery, who helps care for kids at events like this, said her immediate instinct was to find them.
“My first thought was the kids,” Henery said. “They were on the back of a golf cart. I didn’t know where they were because all I saw was people flying and pushing off to the side. I ran toward them. I saw at least five in that moment.”
Janice Trahan said members of her own family were among those caught in the chaos when the vehicle struck a golf cart carrying several people.
“Both of them flew in opposite directions,” Trahan said, referring to her niece and grandchild. “When he hit the golf cart, they were thrown, and the cart went sideways. My brother-in-law and my other niece were thrown off too.”
Authorities have not yet released full details about what led up to the incident or the extent of injuries. The investigation remains ongoing.
For families who were there, the images and moments from that day are still difficult to process a celebration that turned into a nightmare in a matter of seconds.
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