This year's Mardi Gras Festival in New Orleans took a horrific turn when a truck driver plowed his vehicle into the crowd watching the Endymion Parade last Saturday night, injuring several people in the process. The suspect, identified as 25-year old Neilson Rizzuto, was reported to be very drunk when the incident happened.
The incident happened in the Mid-city of New Orleans around 6:45 pm. According to witnesses, Rizzuto's truck was traveling on the side of the street that was open to vehicles. He tried to get past the crowds at first but then suddenly drove fast on N. Carrollton Avenue toward its intersection with Orleans Avenue, hitting two vehicles in the process. He then drove left and came to a stop when he hit a large dump truck.
Several people who are watching the parade got pinned under the dump truck. After the incident, civilians hurried to help the trapped bodies which counted up to nearly two dozen. Reports said a child as young as 3 years old was also hurt in the crash.
Police officials immediately arrested Rizzuto, who is now facing charges with two felony counts of vehicular negligence injuring in the first degree, hit-and-run driving and the reckless operation of a motor vehicle. According to Reuters, Rizzuto's blood alcohol level also reached 0.232, significantly higher than the 0.08 limit.
The incident then sparked a controversy among the public if it was an act of terrorism. But Police Chief Michael Harrison said there was no indication that the incident was a terrorist attack. The suspect was just black-out drunk.
Several eyewitnesses reported the incident to be the "worst thing they've ever seen in their lives," including Dana Welch, a civilian who's standing just upriver of the intersection watching the Endymion Parade. She said: "I saw him coming and I was like, oh my God, it's going to be a catastrophe. He sped up and he just went flying, hit those cars. "The worst thing I've ever seen in my life. All I can say is I hope people are praying."
Thankfully, no one among the injured was critically hurt. Minutes after the crash, the parade continued its procession, amid the panicked crowd and bystanders.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
