SECURED FOR LES MILES’ NIECES
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Port Allen-A West Baton Rouge jury awarded Jessie and Katie Browne $2,500,000.00 in a suit against the State of Louisiana, Department of Transportation and Development.
The Browne sisters were the daughters of Ann Hope Browne, LSU football coach Les Miles’ sister, who was killed in a car accident at the intersection of Sugar Plantation Parkway and LA 1 in Addis, Louisiana on April 22, 2011.
The jury found the State of Louisiana, DOTD 40% at fault for causing the accident. The jury found that the intersection was defective on April 22, 2011 at the time of the crash, that the State of Louisiana, DOTD had actual or constructive notice of the defect and that LA DOTD had reasonable time to correct the defect but failed to do so. The jury also found Ann Hope Browne 60% at fault for her comparative fault in pulling out of Sugar Plantation Parkway while her view was obstructed by a right turning motorist.
“The Browne sisters are amazing resilient girls. They are both Division I athletes, Jessie, a former Southeastern University softball pitcher, and Katie, is presently the starting catcher for The University of Georgia softball team. These two have been through a tremendous amount of tragedy and it is nice to finally give them some closure.”
The DOTD added a traffic signal at this intersection in March of 2012 after three more fatalities occurred in December, 2011 at this same intersection. “DOTD representatives still refer to this signal as ‘temporary’ but hopefully this will convince them that the Addis Community deserves a safe intersection and they will make this light permanent after this verdict.”
Louisiana law provides a maximum recovery of $500,000.00 in suits against the State of Louisiana.