A Slidell family is turning long-running grief into a renewed political push, demanding tougher drunk-driving rules after the 2018 Thanksgiving crash that killed 23-year-old Jada Bright. Bright was headed home from college when her car was hit head-on by a driver who, the family says, had been booked and released the day before. State Rep. Brian Glorioso has told the family he will support legislation to change how officers and judges handle releases for suspected intoxication, as reported by WDSU.
According to WDSU, Glorioso plans to file what supporters are calling "Jada's law" and says a medical test, such as a blood test or breathalyzer, should determine whether someone is eligible for release. He also told WDSU he wants tougher penalties for people who try to dodge driving restrictions by turning to rental cars. Glorioso said the measure would be filed during the next legislative session in March.
Family's seven-year campaign
Jennifer Bright, Jada's sister-in-law, recently spoke to students at a Sudden Impact program at University Medical Center in New Orleans, sharing the story of the crash and the family's ongoing campaign. As reported by WDAM, the Bright family has spent years talking to thousands of teens and pursuing civil action tied to the wreck.
Crash and the prior arrests
The crash happened on Interstate 59 near mile marker 39 on Nov. 22, 2018, when investigators say the other driver crossed into the southbound lanes and collided with Bright's car. Local reporting at the time shows that the driver had been arrested in Lauderdale County the day before on a suspected fourth DUI, bonded out, and was then arrested again for public drunkenness and released later that day, according to WLOX. The Brights' attorney told reporters the driver had a blood-alcohol reading nearly four times the legal limit, a claim reported by WDSU.
What Jada's law would change
Supporters say the main change would be writing a medical-sobriety standard into law for release decisions: officers or medical staff would have to confirm a suspect's blood alcohol concentration before bond eligibility. Backers also want enhanced penalties designed to stop people under DUI restrictions from turning to rental cars while a case is pending.
What comes next
Glorioso has indicated he will file the bill when lawmakers reconvene in March, and advocates on the Northshore say they will push for committee hearings. Legislators will have to balance public-safety arguments with questions about testing logistics and how any new requirements would fit into existing bail practices.
