Youngsville Police Chief Rickey Boudreaux defended himself against accusations on Monday night after the city council voted to initiate an investigation into his actions.
The investigation was prompted by a car accident involving councilwoman Kayla Reaux, who had recently resigned from her position. Controversy arose when Reaux received no citation or ticket for the incident, leading to allegations that Chief Boudreaux had granted her special privileges due to her council membership.
In an exclusive interview with News 10’s KLFY, Chief Boudreaux shared his side of the story. He explained that on the day of the accident in November, Reaux had visited his home after a long drive from out of state to retrieve some cosmetics from a female friend residing there.
Boudreaux emphasized that he was in close proximity to Reaux during her visit and would have detected any alcohol on her breath, as he is certified in field sobriety testing. According to the chief, there were no signs of intoxication; rather, Reaux appeared exhausted and even seemed on the verge of falling asleep while conversing with them.
Boudreaux attributed the accident to Reaux being distracted by her cell phone ringing, which caused her to collide with a parked car. He also pointed out that the parked vehicle was illegally parked, as all the designated parking spots were situated on the opposite side. Importantly, Boudreaux clarified that he was not acting as the chief of police at the time but rather as a concerned citizen, having received a distress call from a friend. He exercised his discretion as allowed and decided not to issue a citation since no one was injured.
Regarding the damaged vehicle’s owner, Boudreaux dismissed reports suggesting that the owner was not compensated by insurance. He confirmed that the insurance company promptly settled the claim as soon as they received it, and any delay in reimbursement was due to the time required for the necessary parts to arrive.
Boudreaux expressed his frustration with the city council, stating that they seemed unaware of the incident despite it occurring in November in a small community like Youngsville, where news tends to spread quickly. He clarified that the firing of the sergeant who was present at the accident scene was unrelated to the incident itself, as the termination resulted from pre-existing violations discovered during an investigation conducted prior to November.
Chief Boudreaux defended his actions, denying any preferential treatment and emphasizing his adherence to proper protocols. He maintained that the incident was an unfortunate accident and expressed dissatisfaction with the council’s apparent lack of awareness.
See the full story via KLFY News 10 here.
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