Watson man booked with negligent homicide in boy’s death

LIVINGSTON — A driver who ran over a 6-year-old neighbor boy in Watson last month has been booked with negligent homicide, the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office reported.

Brad Welch, 32, of 9197 Rue de Fleur in Watson, was talking on his cellphone at the time of the accident, according to the Sheriff’s Office on Thursday.

Investigators determined because Welch was distracted by his cellphone use, he did not see the child.

Welch was booked into the Livingston Parish Detention Center on Wednesday afternoon and later released on $25,000 bail, said Lori Steele, a spokeswoman for the Sheriff’s Office.

The incident occurred about 6:30 p.m. Sept. 24 in the Lakes at Belle Terre subdivision.

Tyler Myers was riding a scooter on a sidewalk that crosses Welch’s driveway when Welch was returning home, Steele said. Welch felt a bump and upon getting out of his vehicle, Welch saw the child lying on the ground.

Alcohol use is not suspected in the case, Steele said.

Comments

1) Comment by Jared1969 - 24/10/2012

@ndylsu, do me one favor , just read the police report when it comes out. This is all I ask of you....

2) Comment by ndylsu - 24/10/2012

@Jared1969, so if I were to read the police reports you'd be listed as an eyewitness?

3) Comment by Jared1969 - 22/10/2012

A 6 year old child is riding his scooter down a SIDEWALK folllwing his 10 year old brother and 11 year old friend. In the process of getting up Mr. Welch runs over the child, feels the bump, and proceeds 40 feet pass the child until he comes to a stop. ANYONE who doesn't have the sense to believe it WASN"T Mr. Welch fault doesn't have a lick of sense, he was driving the truck, he was going forward, he didn't stop,and the child is now dead. If it's not Mr. Welch's fault, Whos fault is it?

4) Comment by Jared1969 - 22/10/2012

5) Comment by ndylsu - 17/10/2012

Newly elected Sheriff Jason Ard was pressured into pressing charged by the family and their ambulance chasing attorney. He feared being sued. Anyone in the community who has a lick of sense doesn't believe for 1 second Mr. Welch is at fault. Both of these families are suffering greatly and its a travesty the vultures have swooped in to feed off the misery. Shame on you Sheriff Ard. I look forward to campaigning on behalf of you opponent when your term is up.

6) Comment by ebbette - 13/10/2012

The facts in LP haven't changed. The parents were nearby as they are neighbors but the child had fallen over in Welch's driveway.so was flat on the ground and Welch wasn't able to see him. My heart goes out to little Tyler's family but this is a tragic accident and it's wrong that everything these days that are what once upon a time was considered a tragic accident now results in criminal charges. If I don't have children, I don't expect to have one lying on the ground near the end of my driveway as I pull into it. I've also lost a child so I don't say this lightly. The DA's office dropped charges against 4 men at Sunland in Walker who sexually harassed and sodomized a gay co-worker. LP has a pathetic justice system.

7) Comment by Pakistani - 13/10/2012

From news reports, the kid was playing on the sidewalk. As for why he was outside at 6:30pm, because it was still light and that's what kids do!

8) Comment by Get Real - 12/10/2012

Earlier reports say that the child ran into the car and it was no way that the driver could have stopped. I wonder about this one.

9) Comment by ABayouBoy - 12/10/2012

Poor kid. But why was he outside at 6:30pm. Where were his parents?