KALB Digital Team
Feb 15, 2024
A pre-trial hearing was held on Feb. 15 for the driver in an Avoyelles Parish crash on April 7, 2023, that killed Lauren Vaughn, 22, of Alexandria.
AVOYELLES PARISH, La. (KALB) - A pre-trial hearing was held on Feb. 15 for the driver in an Avoyelles Parish crash on April 7, 2023, that killed Lauren Vaughn, 22, of Alexandria.
According to Louisiana State Police, Christopher R. McCoy, 23, of Bunkie, was driving east on Louisiana Highway 1176 and entered a ditch before hitting a tree. Vaughn, who was a passenger in the vehicle, was killed in the crash while McCoy sustained moderate injuries. LSP reported that McCoy’s BAC was .15, nearly twice the legal limit.
On June 7, 2023, LSP arrested McCoy on charges of vehicular homicide, DWI 1st, reckless operation, no seat belt and open container. He was booked and released into the Avoyelles Parish Jail.
McCoy entered the plea of ‘not guilty” to all charges on August 22, 2023.
At the pre-trial hearing, a motion for continuance was considered and granted. Pre-trial was scheduled for April 11 and trial is set to begin on May 13. McCoy is represented by John Calmes.
A mugshot for McCoy was not released due to Louisiana’s mugshot law, which was updated in 2022. According to that law, mugshots are released for those charged with crimes of violence. Vehicular homicide is considered a crime of violence, but has stipulations under the law, specifically that a charge is a violent crime “when the operator’s blood alcohol concentration exceeds 0.20 percent.” Since McCoy’s BAC was 0.15 percent, it does not apply.
A Memorial Run/Walk will be held on Saturday, March 30, to honor the memory of Lauren Vaughn and highlight the dangers of drunk and impaired driving, For more information and to learn more about Lauren, visit LV5K.com.