YOUNGSVILLE, La. (KLFY) – Monday night, Youngsville Police Chief Rickey Boudreaux defended himself against allegations. The city council voted to have him investigated after a council member, who recently resigned, got into a car accident.
She wasn’t issued a citation nor a ticket. It’s said the chief gave her special privileges because she was a council member.
In a News 10’s KLFY Exclusive, Boudreaux tells his side of the story.
In November Youngsville councilwoman Kayla Reaux drove into a parked car. She walked away with no ticket or citation. Police chief Boudreaux said Reaux came to his home on that day after a long drive out of state. She came to get some cosmetics from a female friend he had at his home.
“I sat closer to her than you and I are. Had she had any alcohol on her breath I would have smelled it,” Boudreaux said.
Boudreaux said he’s field sobriety testing certified. If Reaux was intoxicated, he would have known.
“There were no signs of intoxication, just exhaustion. She was very tired. She was almost nodding off while visiting with us,” Boudreaux added
It’s the chief’s understanding that Reaux was distracted by her cell phone going off and that’s what lead to the incident.
“One of the things that was never addressed is that the car was illegally parked; because all the parking spots were on the other side,” he noted.
Boudreaux said he arrived at the scene on that day as a citizen, and not an officer looking to push for Reaux to get special treatment.
“I was not in uniform, I was not in my vehicle and was not acting as the chief of police. I got a call from a friend in distress,” Boudreaux said.
The chief said the officer used his discretion, which he is allowed to do.
The sergeant who was there asked the chief if he was going to give a citation and Boudreaux said no.
He said nobody was hurt. “I don’t normally do that,” the chief explained.
And, what about the person who owned the parked vehicle that was damaged?
“It’s been widely reported that their insurance never paid the lady, that’s false. As soon as her insurance got the claim, they paid out the claim. She was waiting on the parts like everyone else waits for stuff to come in,” he noted.
Lastly Boudreaux said the council acted as if they knew nothing.
The wreck occurred in November, in Youngsville, where he said everyone knows about everything that occurs.
“We didn’t know about this. This is horrible,” Boudreaux recalled. Chief said “No, it’s not horrible. It is called an accident for a reason. It’s an accident.”
A Sergeant who as on duty that night has since been fired. The chief said his firing had nothing to do with the wreck. His investigation was for violations before the November incident.
