Married couple of 55 years killed by alleged drunken driver

GRETNA, La. (WVUE/Gray News) - A married couple of 55 years were killed after being struck by an alleged impaired drunken driver Saturday night in Louisiana, according to authorities.

The victims who died were 76-year-old Hubert Gauthreaux and his wife of 55 years, 73-year-old Victoria Gauthreaux.

They were the grandparents of 21-year-old Hubert Gauthreaux III who was also killed in the New Orleans terror attack on New Year’s.

Police said 33-year-old Stephan Juarez was speeding in a 2015 GMC truck eastbound in the 700 block of Fourth Street around 6:40 p.m. when he crossed the center line and struck a westbound 2011 GMC Yukon.

Authorities said that three people in the Yukon sustained minor injuries in the crash.

Juarez continued striking a parked 2022 Honda Pilot, which was unoccupied, police said.

Juarez then allegedly continued driving, striking a parked 2020 Volvo XC9 that the Gauthreauxs were in.

The couple was rushed to the hospital, where they died from their injuries.

A nurse who witnessed the final crash said the scene was “carnage.”

“It was just a mess,” she said. “There was blood everywhere. There was this pickup truck that had plowed through a fence of this parking lot. There was a smashed-in Volvo SUV. ... He was just flying down Fourth Street and just the impact was so loud, there was just debris everywhere. It was just a horrific scene to walk up onto.”