The operator of a vessel that was involved in a fatal boating incident on the Tickfaw River was sentenced on Aug. 1 in Livingston Parish.

The Honorable Judge Charlotte H. Foster sentenced Jason Chiasson Jr., 35, of Holden, to serve five years in jail for each of the two counts of negligent homicide to run consecutively with four years suspended for each count and six months in jail for each of the five counts of negligent injuring to run concurrently with the negligent homicide sentencing. He was also ordered to pay a $2,000 fine.

Chiasson Jr. pleaded no contest to these charges on July 7 after a plea deal. He will serve his two-year sentence in the Livingston Parish Jail system.

Chiasson Jr. was the operator of a 25-foot Sea Fox vessel when he collided with a 25-foot pontoon boat shortly after midnight on July 28 on the Tickfaw River. Through the course of the investigation, agents determined that Chiasson Jr. was impaired at the time of the collision.

The collision resulted in the deaths of a passenger on the Sea Fox, Thuy Gustin, 31, of Springfield, and the operator of the pontoon boat, Chase Sharkey, 36, of Greensburg. Two people on the Sea Fox and three people on the pontoon were taken to the North Oaks Hospital with serious injuries.

Agents arrested Chiasson Jr. on Aug. 22, 2024 for two counts of vehicular homicide, five counts of first-degree vehicular negligent injury, second offense of operating or driving a vessel while impaired (DWI) and careless operation of a vessel.

Livingston Parish Assistant District Attorney Kurt Wall prosecuted the case.