By JOHN HOWARD

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE-Paul Dauzat was transported to River Parishes Hospital after his car was struck by a pickup truck headed west on Airline Highway just before 11 a.m. on Monday.

State Trooper Alan Rickmeier said the injuries appeared moderate, as Dauzat was loaded onto a stretcher after paramedics and firefighters pulled him from the wreck. He was bleeding from his left side and looked to be severely bruised, but District Fire Chief Cain Dufrene said he didn’t want to speculate on the extent of the injuries.

The driver of the pickup, 60-year-old Jankiel Dychtwald of Covington was walking around immediately after the crash, but was assisted and strapped onto a gurney before being loaded into a second ambulance.

According to witnesses, Dauzat’s Buick was attempting to pull out of Mabile’s Restaurant when a Chevrolet S-10 driven by Dychtwald struck the drivers’ side of the car. After the initial impact, the Buick rolled back off of the road next to the Mabile’s parking lot.

Dauzat was cited with a Failure to Yield violation.

Witnesses said it appeared Dauzat didn’t see the car coming and pulled out right in front of the pickup, adding that he didn’t even have time to stop.

&#8220The driver of the gold truck didn’t have an opportunity to stop. The noise was unbelievableŠBoom! No squealing tires just a collision,” said one witness. &#8220The driver was laying back and just looked unconscious. The car just rolled backwards down off the street.”

Dauzat also had a dog in the car with him. The St. John Parish Animal Control will be caring for the dog until the family comes to claim the pet.