At least 28 people were injured Saturday when an apparent drunken driver crashed a pickup truck during the Endymion parade in Mid-City, police said. New Orleans police said the crash happened before 7 p.m. at Orleans and Carrollton avenues, where Endymion was rolling through for its annual Carnival parade. The driver Nielson Rizzuto, 25, was taken into custody. New Orleans police Chief Micheal Harrison said Saturday night that Rizzuto was "highly intoxicated." Harrison said the driver was traveling on the opposite side of the parade when he struck two vehicles, causing one of them to strike a third vehicle. The driver lost control when he drove over the neutral ground, struck a dump truck and then hit several people, investigators said. Multiple law enforcement officers, paramedics and bystanders helped the victims. Harrison said the victims range from children 3-4 years old and to adults in their 30s and 40s. Seven victims declined transportation to the hospital. Officials said in an update that five people are being treated at trauma centers. The victims were taken to different hospitals in New Orleans. Rizzuto was booked Sunday morning on charges of first-degree vehicular negligent injuring, hit and run driving death-serious injury and reckless operation of a vehicle. He remains at the Orleans Parish jail. This is a developing story. Stay with WDSU.com for updates. Keep up with local news, weather and current events with the WDSU app here. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news right in your inbox. Click here to sign up!

At least 28 people were injured Saturday when an apparent drunken driver crashed a pickup truck during the Endymion parade in Mid-City, police said.

New Orleans police said the crash happened before 7 p.m. at Orleans and Carrollton avenues, where Endymion was rolling through for its annual Carnival parade.

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The driver Nielson Rizzuto, 25, was taken into custody. New Orleans police Chief Micheal Harrison said Saturday night that Rizzuto was "highly intoxicated."

Harrison said the driver was traveling on the opposite side of the parade when he struck two vehicles, causing one of them to strike a third vehicle. The driver lost control when he drove over the neutral ground, struck a dump truck and then hit several people, investigators said.

Multiple law enforcement officers, paramedics and bystanders helped the victims. Harrison said the victims range from children 3-4 years old and to adults in their 30s and 40s. Seven victims declined transportation to the hospital.

Officials said in an update that five people are being treated at trauma centers. The victims were taken to different hospitals in New Orleans.

Rizzuto was booked Sunday morning on charges of first-degree vehicular negligent injuring, hit and run driving death-serious injury and reckless operation of a vehicle. He remains at the Orleans Parish jail.

This is a developing story. Stay with WDSU.com for updates.

Keep up with local news, weather and current events with the WDSU app here. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news right in your inbox. Click here to sign up!

