The Addis, Louisiana police officer who struck and killed two teenage girls during a multi-parish police chase of a vehicle theft suspect is being arrested for his role in the Saturday crash, 18th Judicial District Attorney Tony Clayton said.

Addis officer David Cauthron was arrested and booked Sunday evening, WBRZ reported. He is charged with two counts of negligent homicide and one count of negligent injuring, Clayton said.

Maggie Dunn, 17, and Caroline Gill, 16, were killed and Liam Dunn, Maggie’s brother, was critically injured when the officer crashed into their vehicle on LA 1 midday Saturday, according to the West Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office.

A warrant was signed for the officer’s arrest Sunday evening was carried out by the West Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, Clayton said.

Clayton agreed with the decision to arrest the officer, he said.

The teenagers were killed in Brusly when their vehicle was struck by an Addis police car in pursuit of 24-year-old Tyquel Zanders.

The chase began in Baton Rouge, where Zanders is accused of entering a home in the 3200 block of Blackwell Drive on Saturday, taking the keys to a 2016 Nissan Altima and stealing it, according to booking documents. The vehicle belongs to Zanders’ father, Clayton said.

Zanders was not welcome in the home and he pushed his father down before taking the keys, according to Clayton and the affidavit.

Baton Rouge police were attempting to pull over Zanders on River Road near the Raising Cane’s River Center when the chase began, according to booking documents. Zanders ran multiple red lights, speeding 80 mph on Government Street and 110 mph on Interstate 10.

Zanders then drove across the Mississippi River Bridge into West Baton Rouge.

As authorities were chasing Zanders through Brusly, an Addis Police unit crashed into a vehicle near the Brusly Police Department on La. 1, killing Maggie Dunn and Gill and critically injuring Liam Dunn, none of whom were involved in the theft, according to the West Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office.

Zanders then drove back across the Mississippi River Bridge and was apprehended at the Dalrymple exit when his car stalled, according to booking documents.

Zanders faces counts in Baton Rouge of home invasion, theft of a vehicle and aggravated flight, according to Baton Rouge police. Across the river, he will be booked on two counts each of manslaughter in the deaths of the two teens, according to the West Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office.

Earlier Sunday, Clayton questioned the decision of BRPD’s decision to pursue Clayton at a high rate of speed over the charges he faced and said he was investigating the actions of the Addis police officer leading up the crash.

“If it involves putting human life in danger, stop the damn pursuit,” Clayton said. “It’s just not worth the risk.”

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