Maurice officer's trial postponed

The trial for a Maurice Police officer involved in a crash that claimed the life of an 83-year-old Abbeville man has been postponed.
According to KATC, District Court Judge Michelle Meaux Breaux dismissed the jury Monday and told those in attendance that the trial is postponed.
The judge gave neither the date for a future trial nor the reason for postponing it at this time.
Willis Thomas of the Maurice Police Department was set to go to trial more than two years after a grand jury indicted him on negligent homicide charges in connection to the death of Paul Suire, 83, of Abbeville. The grand jury issued the indictment in Feb. 2013, more than three months after the two-vehicle accident.
According to investigating State Troopers, on Oct. 11, 2012, at 12:15 p.m., Officer Willis Thomas was driving a marked 2012 Dodge Charger Maurice Police Unit, north on US Highway 167 in the left lane. Officer
Thomas, who was responding to an emergency call, had his emergency lights and siren activated as he approached the intersection of US Highway 167 and Opta Drive. A 2008 Mercury passenger car, driven by Suire, was traveling west on Opta Drive approaching US Highway 167. Suire, after stopping at a stop sign, pulled out in front of Officer Thomas’ vehicle. The front of Thomas’ unit struck the driver side of Suire’s vehicle.
Suire, who was restrained, was pronounced dead by the Vermilion Parish Coroner. A passenger in Suire’s vehicle, his wife, was restrained and sustained moderate injuries. Officer Thomas, who was unrestrained, sustained minor injuries.