NEW ORLEANS - A 21-year-old Metairie woman has been arrested in a car crash that left a New Orleans police officer dead in July.
Vernell Brown died five days after he was struck by a car while outside of his police unit investigating a car crash on U.S. 90 near the on-ramp to I-10.
According to court records, Norma Morales, 21, was arrested last week and charged with negligent homicide in the incident.
Brown, 47, was responding to a vehicle fire at U.S. 90B east and S. Claiborne Avenue before 5:45 a.m. He was accompanied by two police recruits in field training.
Brown exited the vehicle after one of the recruits parked in the shoulder lane, and while walking near the guardrail, Brown was struck by a Ford Mustang, police say, which had been hit by the Scion' driven by Morales. An unidentified 28-year-old man was driving the Mustang.
Both drivers stayed on the scene and underwent DWI testing, and the 28-year-old man tested negative for any alcohol; the 21-year-old woman testing at .058g%, which is under the legal limit.
Brown was honored by the city council last week.
