St. Martinville drunk driving victim honored with balloon release
ST. MARTINVILLE, La. (KLFY)-- Friends and family members of a St. Martinville woman killed by a drunk driver honored her life Thursday evening with a balloon release.
According to the St. Martin Parish Sheriff's Office, 49-year-old Trisha Willis Johnson was attempting to cross South Main Street when she was struck and killed. The driver, 24-year-old Jade Pourciaux, was arrested and charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated and vehicular homicide.
"We are honoring Johnson with her favorite color, which is green," Johnson's long-time friend, Shantele Jones Vitto, said. "It represents vibrance, freshness, new beginnings, and she's in heaven now."
Not far from the very place where Johnson was struck and killed by a drunk driver, her friends and family released balloons in her honor.
Vitto remembered getting the call late Sunday night on Oct. 22 that her friend was killed.
"Disbelief. Anger. Pain. Sorrow. Just a mixture of emotions, and I'm still in disbelief about it," she said.
A St. Martinville woman was arrested soon after, charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated and vehicular homicide.
"That does not bring her back. Hopefully justice will be served, and her life will be meaningful to the community, which it is, and like I said, justice should be served. She should be remembered as a loving, caring, vibrant person," Vitto added.
As Johnson's friends and family keep her name alive, Vitto says she wishes she could talk to her one last time.
"I'd tell Trisha you have our attention," Vitto said. "We love you. We miss you, and we will always remember you through memories, through the fun things that you've done. We'll continue those things, and you'll always be in our hearts."
The driver charged with vehicular homicide is still being held in the St. Martin Parish Jail with a bond of $140,000.