Lafayette man charged in accident

By: CARISSA HEBERT

Managing Editor

Louisiana State Police, Troop I, executed an arrest warrant for Joseph Conor Cashen Friday, January 9, at 10 a.m., in Lafayette. Cashen was booked into the Lafayette Correctional Center and then transferred to the Evangeline Parish Jail on charges of vehicular homicide, two counts of vehicular negligent injury, DWI (second offense) and driving left of center with a crash.

Cashen, 30 (dob 6-14-78), 201 S. College Drive, Apt. 201, Lafayette, was driving a 2001 Jeep Friday, April 18, which was involved in a head-on collision at the intersection of state Highway 13, near state Highway 274, a few miles south of Mamou. The accident claimed the life of Felix Shillow, 62, a passenger in the 1993 Chevrolet truck, which was being driven by Willie Shillow. Both Cashen, who was listed as a Eunice resident at the time of the incident, and his passenger were transported to local hospitals with serious injuries.

According to the state police accident report, Cashen’s northbound vehicle crossed the center line for unknown reasons and struck the Shillow vehicle head-on.

Troop I’s public information officer David Anderson said toxicology results compiled by the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab indicated Cashen had illegal narcotics in his system at the time of the accident. The crime lab was able to make the determination from a urine sample, which was taken from Cashen on the day of the accident. The results were received January 7, by troopers and an arrest warrant was obtained. Cashen was arrested at his residence in Lafayette without incident, Anderson said.