Westlake Man Arrested for 3rd Degree Feticide & Vehicular Negligent Injuring

Published December 18, 2019

From the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office – On December 17, 2019, at approximately 6:00 p.m. the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to a call at the intersection of Goss Road and Miller Avenue in Westlake in reference to a 2 vehicle crash. The initial investigation revealed the driver of a four-door pickup truck, Joshua L. Anderson, 24, 1620 Hilma Street, Westlake, was traveling east in the middle of the roadway on Goss Road when he ran a stop sign. Anderson struck a 4 door pickup truck that was headed south on Miller Avenue, causing both trucks to travel off the roadway, flipping into a ditch. The driver traveling on Miller Avenue and the front seat passenger, who was 21 weeks pregnant, were transported to a local hospital by ambulance. The 2-year-old passenger in the truck, who was in a car seat in the backseat, was airlifted to a hospital out of town.

During the investigation, while deputies were speaking with Anderson they observed numerous empty beer bottles inside his truck. They also observed Anderson show signs of impairment. During further questioning, Anderson refused to cooperate and kicked a deputy. Anderson, who refused standard field sobriety and breath intoxilyzer testing, was arrested. Deputies obtained a warrant to have his blood drawn for a toxicology report; he was then transported to a local hospital. After hospital personnel collected the blood sample he was transported back to CPSO and booked into the Calcasieu Correctional Center and charged with DWI 1st; resisting an officer; failure to stop at a stop sign; driving on a roadway laned for traffic; battery on a police officer; vehicular negligent injuring; and 2 counts of 1st degree vehicular negligent injuring. Judge Clayton Davis set his bond at $4,000.

It was later learned the unborn baby died at the hospital. Anderson will be additionally charged with 3rd-degree feticide. Bond for his additional charge is pending.

The driver was later released from the hospital with minor injuries. The woman remains in the hospital in serious condition and the young child remains in ICU in critical condition.

The crash is still under investigation. CPSO Sgt. Bryan Alexander is the lead investigator on this case.

Possible punishments for some of the charges mentioned:

• Whoever commits the crime of vehicular negligent injuring shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.
• Whoever commits the crime of first degree vehicular negligent injuring shall be fined not more than two thousand dollars or imprisoned with or without hard labor for not more than five years, or both.
• Whoever commits the crime of third-degree feticide shall be fined not less than two thousand dollars and shall be imprisoned with or without hard labor for not more than five years.

Location of the crash.

• Featured image source: CPSO
• Possible punishments for charges source: http://www.legis.la.gov/