Nearly two years after a deadly afternoon on I-610, a New Orleans-area driver has been found guilty of vehicular homicide in the death of a state highway worker who was just trying to help a stranded motorist.
On July 15, 2026, a jury convicted 26-year-old Oscar G. Perez-Moran of Arabi for the 2024 death of 23-year-old Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Motorist Assistance Patrol worker Eric Anthony Jr. Anthony was hit on the right shoulder of I-610 while assisting a driver on Sept. 24, 2024. He leaves behind a young son and co-workers who say the tragedy never should have happened.
Attorney General Liz Murrill announced the verdict on July 15, 2026, according to FOX 8. The decision caps an investigation that began immediately after the crash and ultimately led to upgraded charges.
How the crash unfolded
Louisiana State Police say the crash happened shortly after 2 p.m. on Sept. 24, 2024, on westbound I-610 near Canal Boulevard. Anthony was assisting a disabled Chevrolet on the right shoulder and had parked his marked DOTD Motorist Assistance Patrol vehicle with emergency lights flashing and traffic cones set out. As he retrieved equipment, a Nissan Rogue veered onto the shoulder, striking Anthony before hitting the back of the DOTD truck and then the disabled vehicle. Those details, along with the initial arrest of the driver, were laid out in the agency's first public release, according to Louisiana State Police.
Toxicology and charges
Routine toxicology later confirmed illegal narcotics in the driver's system, and prosecutors responded by upgrading the original negligent-homicide count to vehicular homicide, according to WDSU. Perez-Moran was hospitalized with minor injuries after the crash and taken into custody afterward, as reported by the Louisiana Radio Network.
Defendant, victim and next steps
Perez-Moran ultimately went to trial on the upgraded vehicular homicide charge and was found guilty in the July 15 verdict. Anthony, a New Orleans native who joined DOTD's Motorist Assistance Patrol in July 2024, left behind a 6-year-old son, according to statements from Louisiana State Police. Public statements about the case did not include an immediate sentencing date.
Safety reminder and local context
State police and DOTD officials have repeatedly pointed to Louisiana's move-over law and the daily risks of roadside work in the wake of Anthony's death. They continue to urge drivers to slow down, move over or change lanes when they see emergency, assistance or maintenance vehicles on the shoulder, stressing that Motorist Assistance Patrol operators are often inches from high-speed traffic while helping stranded drivers.
What the law says
Vehicular homicide in Louisiana, defined in La. R.S. 14:32.1, applies when impairment by alcohol or drugs contributes to a death caused by someone operating a vehicle. The statute classifies the crime as a felony and allows for fines and prison terms that generally range from five to 30 years, with mandatory minimum sentences in some circumstances, according to La. R.S. 14:32.1. The law also permits judges to require substance-abuse treatment and driver-improvement programs as part of a sentence.
