New Orleans crime victim voices support for recall petition against Mayor LaToya Cantrell

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO)— The recall effort against New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell is gaining support among a growing number of her constituents, the city’s crime victims.

Erick Sanchez, along with his wife and 3-month-old daughter, were returning home Wednesday night around 9:30 p.m. when Sanchez says he noticed a driver speeding down General Taylor Street. He motioned for the car to slow down, but the driver continued to accelerate.

“I motioned more firmly,” Sanchez told WGNO’s Jordan Lippincott. “He stopped his car. At the time, I was getting ready to pull my baby from her car seat. The gentleman came up to me, unprovoked, and started attacking my face.”

According to Sanchez, he tried to de-escalate the situation by explaining he was a father, but the driver reportedly wouldn’t listen.

“You know, thankfully, I just employed my better instincts, remained as passive as possible, allowed my body to go limp and play dead, and thankfully, he then moved away before it got any worse,” Sanchez said.

Following the incident, the New Orleans resident says he wants to make sure no other parent experiences their worst nightmare, which is why he is supporting recall efforts against Mayor Cantrell.

“I think, right now, what we’re noticing from our mayor is that not only has she been negligent in her job, but it seems to me that she has a stronger desire to get out of our city than represent it effectively,” Sanchez said.

The new father is optimistic about the outcome of the recall petition.

“It wasn’t too long ago that Latoya Cantrell told us all to take out our own trash,” Sanchez said. “If this recall effort is successful, we might have a chance to do that.”

Cantrell’s administration has yet to release a statement regarding recall efforts.

The New Orleans Police Department is investigating the crime on General Taylor Street as a simple battery incident. Anyone with additional information is urged to contact NOPD Sixth District detectives at 504-658-6060 or Crimestoppers of Greater New Orleans at 504-822-1111. Your call can be anonymous.