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'He should be in jail': Mom who lost children in crash furious as trooper who caused it gets coveted new job

1 year 2 weeks 13 hours ago Wednesday, March 15 2023 Mar 15, 2023 March 15, 2023 3:36 PM March 15, 2023 in News
Source: WBRZ

BATON ROUGE - The mother of two girls who were killed when a Louisiana State Trooper slammed into their car back in October 2020 wants his transfer to the agency's intelligence division blocked.

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State Police said this week that Kaleb Reeves' transfer to intelligence is not a promotion because his salary is not increasing. But, troopers told the WBRZ Investigative Unit it's a highly coveted position that is considered a promotion within the ranks of State Police, even though it doesn't necessarily come with a pay increase.

"He shouldn't be getting promoted," said Sonita Capers, the girls' mother. "He should be in jail. He killed both of my daughters. That was my life. My joy. They were my everything."

Capers was in the front passenger seat when Reeves slammed into their car. Her two daughters, Ajanay and Kajanay Lindsey, were both killed.

"Tomorrow is her birthday," Capers said. "It's hard on me right now. I have to live with this the rest of my life. And he's living the life of Riley, and my girls are gone."

Reeves received a 720-hour suspension for the crash. He was not criminally charged even though he was speeding, going 77 in a 55 mile-per-hour zone.

"I think I would have been charged," Capers said. "I think I would have lost my job, lost my license. I think I would have been in jail rotting for life."

In a crash investigation concerning the deadly wreck, documents reported witnesses saw Reeves driving at a high rate of speed without police emergency lights activated. Crash documents show there was no weather concern that evening, and a forecast suggested it was a clear night.

According to vehicle recording data obtained through a WBRZ public record request, Reeves was traveling 77 miles per hour in the five seconds before impacting the other vehicle. Data from the state SUV showed brakes were applied 2.5 seconds before impact. When the SUV collided with the back of the other vehicle, Reeves' vehicle was traveling 57 mph.

Prior to arriving at Louisiana State Police, Kaleb Reeves worked for the Jackson Parish Sheriff's Office.

Through separate public records requests, the WBRZ Investigative Unit uncovered Reeves was involved in three crashes involving units in Jackson Parish. Just like State Police, Reeves was considered at-fault in two of the wrecks.

In 2017, lawmakers passed an exemption to Louisiana's ethics code to allow Reeves' son to keep working as a state trooper despite his father's promotion to the top spot. Kevin Reeves resigned amid numerous controversies weeks after his son's most recent wreck.

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