Posted on 02/04/2008 7:35:04 AM PST by CholeraJoe
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - The son of a Mississippi political leader was killed by a float in one of the city's Mardi Gras parades.
Joseph P. ``Jody'' Compretta Jr., 39, was pronounced dead at the scene after being run over during the Krewe of Endymion parade on Saturday, police said.
Compretta had been riding on the second section of the three-part Endymion captain's float, Captain Eddy's S.S. Endymion. Police said witnesses told investigators that riders had to disembark from the rear float sections when it approached the Superdome near the end of the parade route. As Compretta got off, the float lurched forward and the third section ran over him, police said.
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
Not funny. Years ago, a friend of mine was installing some new shocks, and as he crawled under the back end to place the jack stand, the car, which was up on a jack (yeah, it was a stupid move), suddenly shifted and started to fall. Another friend pushed the car toward the front just enough to give him time to slither out from underneath. The fuel tank split open as the jack stand pierced it.
Had to call the fire department out to dissipate the gasoline in the sewer so it didn’t blow up from some stray spark down line.
The one guy definitely saved the other guy’s life, because he would have been crushed pretty flat.
True story.
(And yes, alcohol WAS involved. With all of us. How else to explain six to eight grown, and otherwise intelligent, men allowing an idiot to crawl under the back end of a car that’s only supported by a jack?)
OK..last post here......I misread that....an evil wind did blow through town leaving violence.........TWO dead, others wounded.....just how many FReepers commenting on something I already corrected is piling on?
“OK..last post here......I misread that....an evil wind did blow through town leaving violence.........TWO dead, others wounded.....just how many FReepers commenting on something I already corrected is piling on?”
I had just read your reply and then replied back. I had not seen your correction. If I had, I wouldn’t have sent my message.
Frankly, I’m surprised more people aren’t run over every year, given the crowds, the number of floats, and the booze.
Have you actually been there?
Except along Bourbon Street, public drunkeness along the parade routes is pretty much the exception not the rule.
"the parade was like an evil wind blowing through town....look at all the deaths."running over and killing your 16 year old brother has to be davastating....
I’ve been there, but not in many years. My mother is from N.O. and lives in Thibodaux now. I’m aware that the St. Charles route is much more genteel and family oriented. Don’t know much about the other routes.
Oh, CJ, that is awful.
I’ve never been on a float, and I doubt I ever will.
I read it the same way you read it.
Is Fat Tuesday tomorrow? I know Easter is early this year.
Yes, it is. Happy Mardi Gras!
Laissez les bon temps roulette!
Bourbon Street is not on any of the Parade routes. The streets in the French quarter are too narrow. In six years of Parading in the largest Sunday daytime parade (Krewe of Thoth) I saw plenty of drunks along St Charles avenue and Canal street which is pretty near two-thirds of the standard uptown route.
Et toi!
RIP.
BTW:
Happy Lunde Gras!
Happy Lundi Gras to you.
I wish I was in N.O. right now!
“Wonder if the poor guy had a wife and kids?”
http://www.nola.com/mardigras/index.ssf/2008/02/rider_idd_in_endymion_fatality.html
Went through there last week. Ate a Tujaques. Tres yum!
In Marksville, LA, another young man was run over and killed by a float. The driver, brother of the dead man, was arrested for DUI and other charges related to driving while drunk.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.