Maggie Dunn was a 17-year-old high school cheerleader from Brusly, Louisiana, who tragically died on New Year's Eve 2022 in a car crash caused by a police chase. An Addis Police officer, David Cauthorn, was pursuing a suspect at high speed, ran a red light, and collided with the vehicle Maggie was in. Maggie and her friend Caroline Gill, 16, were killed instantly, while Maggie's brother Liam, who was also in the car, survived with injuries
. The officer involved pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter and one count of negligent injury. He was sentenced to 32 years in prison, with 22 years suspended, and resigned from the police force
. Maggie’s memory has been honored by her friend John Foster, an LSU student and singer who wrote and performed an original song titled "Tell That Angel I Love Her" in her tribute. He performed this song on American Idol in 2025, dedicating it to Maggie, which brought widespread attention to her story and the tragic circumstances of her death
. In response to the incident, Louisiana passed legislation to create a task force to study police pursuits and their necessity, aiming to prevent similar tragedies in the future
