BATON ROUGE – One of two drivers convicted in a drunken road-rage crash on the interstate four years ago that left five people dead will need to be re-sentenced, a state appeals court ruled Wednesday.

David Leger was originally sentenced to eight years in prison following the 2013 crash on I-10 at the Ascension/EBR parish line. There are still a group of crosses marking the spot where the wreck happened.

The wreck claimed the life of a 29-year-old mother, her two children and another child along with a 19-year-old passenger. The group was from Prairieville, and the wreck sent shock waves through the close-knit Ascension Parish community.

Leger, of St. Landry Parish, was drunk when he and another driver – Kelsye Hall – got into a cat and mouse game over passing each other. Leger lost control, crossed the median and slammed into a car driven by Effie Fontenot. Fontenot and the group in her vehicle were killed in the fiery crash.

This week, the state appellate court reduced Leger's conviction to negligent homicide and ordered he be re-sentenced by a judge in district court.

The court wrote in its decision, prosecutors did not prove that Leger's drunkenness was a contributing factor to the deaths. However, the court found Leger was guilty of negligent homicide – five counts; one count for each fatality.

CLICK HERE to read the court decision.

Hall was previously found guilty of negligent homicide and testified for prosecutors at the trial against Leger.

"We respectfully disagree with the 1st Circuit Court’s decision today upsetting the jury’s decision in this very emotional case," District Attorney Hillar Moore said in a lengthy statement.  

"We will seek appellate review of the court’s decision. Our decision is consistent with the desires of the families of the five victims who have been most impacted by this crime and today’s ruling," continued.

CLICK HERE to read more.

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