Walker business hit by truck; man killed

• By DEBRA LEMOINE
• Advocate Florida parishes bureau
• Published: Oct 8, 2008 - Page: 1B - UPDATED: 12:15 a.m.

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WALKER — A plumber’s helper having morning coffee was killed early Tuesday when a pickup slammed through an outer wall and into the break room of Kent’s Plumbing Inc., Police Chief Hunter Grimes said.

The truck, driven by Donald James Weaver, 17, of Denham Springs, was eastbound on Burgess Avenue in Walker when he lost control in a curve, ran off the roadway and went through the side of the building around 6:53 a.m., Grimes said.

Michael Chad Bourgeois, 24, of Denham Springs, died instantly, Grimes said.

Police arrested and booked Weaver into the Livingston Parish Detention Center in Livingston on counts of negligent homicide and failure to maintain control of a vehicle, Grimes said.

Weaver, a senior at Albany High School en route to classes when the wreck occurred, was not hurt, Grimes said.

Witnesses told police that Weaver had been speeding and driving erratically before losing control in the curve around Milton Road, Grimes said.

Alcohol is not suspected in the case, Grimes said.

Bourgeois, who had been employed by Kent’s Plumbing for five months, was getting a cup of coffee in the break room awaiting his assignment for the day when the truck hit, said Louise White, office manager and sister and aunt to the owners, Woody and Joe Kent.

Workers heard what they thought was an explosion when the white 2000 four-door cab pickup crashed through the wall of the business and ran Bourgeois over, White and Grimes said.

“He was a good worker,” White said. “He showed up for work and worked very hard.”

Bourgeois had a wife and two stepchildren, his mother, Lisa Guidry, said.

“He will be missed,” Guidry said, who declined to comment further.

Kent’s Plumbing management began work to patch the gaping hole in the side of the metal building as well as heavy damage to the break room and part of a dispatching office, White said.