A Rapides Parish judge set a combined $1 million bond for Julius Layfield, the man accused in the March 31, 2026, hit-and-run that killed 16-year-old Alexandria Senior High student Collin Lacaze and seriously injured another teenager.
The September 14 bond hearing added important details about the evidence Alexandria police say they collected. It also exposed a point that deserves careful attention: an officer testified that a blood test taken after Layfield’s arrest was negative.
Layfield has not been convicted. The testimony, charges and bond ruling are not findings of guilt, and he is presumed innocent unless the criminal case ends in a guilty plea or conviction.
The Judge Set Two $500,000 Bonds
KALB reported that Judge Greg Beard set bond at $500,000 on each of two hit-and-run counts involving death or serious injury. The judge reportedly found Layfield to be a flight risk and a danger to the community.
Those findings concern pretrial release. They do not decide whether Layfield committed the offenses or caused the collision.
Layfield was initially arrested on allegations of vehicular homicide involving DWI, vehicular negligent injuring and hit-and-run. KALB’s bond-hearing report focused on two hit-and-run counts. The public reporting does not clearly say whether the earlier counts remain pending, were amended or were dismissed. The court record controls that question.
The Officer Described Video, Vehicle Parts and an Alleged Statement
Officer Ethan Lachney testified that surveillance footage allegedly showed Layfield purchasing alcohol and later showed his vehicle traveling on Eddie Williams Avenue. Investigators also recovered vehicle parts, including side mirrors, near the two teenagers.
According to the testimony reported by KALB, Layfield allegedly acknowledged driving after drinking, swerving toward the roadside and remembering that he struck something, although he reportedly said he did not know he had hit a person.
The officer also testified that the suspected vehicle was later found at a residence with which Layfield had no known connection. Those facts may be significant, but the original recordings, forensic comparison of the debris and the complete statement will matter more than a summary from a bond hearing.
The Negative Blood Test Cannot Be Ignored
Lachney testified that a blood sample collected after the April 1 arrest produced a negative result. That is material evidence.
The public report does not say when the sample was collected, what substances were tested, the detection limits or whether any other testing occurred. Those details may affect the result’s significance. Still, the negative test should not be minimized simply because police also described an alcohol purchase and an alleged admission.
A fair evaluation requires the collection timeline, laboratory records, surveillance footage, witness observations and any expert analysis. The prosecution and defense may interpret that evidence differently.
The Criminal Case Does Not Protect the Civil Claims Automatically
The criminal prosecution is separate from the wrongful-death claim arising from Lacaze’s death and the personal injury claim of the surviving teenager. Civil responsibility, damages and insurance coverage are decided under different legal standards.
The surviving teenager was a minor when the collision occurred and reportedly suffered serious injuries. Any settlement would need to account for the full medical prognosis, future treatment and Louisiana procedures governing a minor’s claim.
For this March 2026 collision, Civil Code article 2323 applies the current comparative-fault rule. The checked reports do not identify conduct by either teenager that caused the collision.
Potential liability and uninsured-motorist coverage should be investigated without waiting for the criminal case to conclude. A pending prosecution does not necessarily extend a civil filing deadline.
For help preserving evidence and coordinating civil claims with an active criminal prosecution, contact Babcock Injury Lawyers.
Sources
- KALB: Officer testifies at Collin Lacaze bond hearing
- KALB: Initial report on the Eddie Williams Avenue hit-and-run
- Alexandria Police Department news archive
- Louisiana Civil Code article 2315.1
- Louisiana Civil Code article 2315.2
- Louisiana Civil Code article 2323
- La. R.S. 22:1295: Uninsured motorist coverage
Editorial & Legal Accuracy Notice (Louisiana)
This article is based on the linked KALB reports and official Alexandria police archive. The criminal case remains pending. The reported testimony and charges are allegations, and the bond ruling did not decide guilt or civil fault. The public report did not disclose the complete laboratory record or the formal status of every initial charge. This article is general information, not advice about a particular claim.