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Driver in Endymion crash released from prison

Rizzuto will serve one year of probation and attend Alcoholic Anonymous as well as Mothers Against Drunk Driving meetings.

NEW ORLEANS — The driver who plowed into a crowd watching the Endymion parade in 2017 was released from jail Friday after serving less than half his sentence.

Nielson Rizzuto was released from prison after serving just 17 months of his 5-year-sentence. Judge Benedict Willard sentenced Rizzuto to five years in prison on Jan. 12, 2018. One year was suspended and Rizzuto received credit for the 11 months he’d already spent in jail since the crash.

He pleaded guilty to the felony counts in the crash that injured more than 30 people. Rizzuto's blood alcohol level registered at .232, almost 3 times the legal limit in Louisiana.

Floats pass along the parade route in the background, while two of the cars that were struck before a truck went careening into the crowd are in the foreground. (Photo: David Hammer)

Rizzuto will serve one year of probation and attend Alcoholic Anonymous as well as Mothers Against Drunk Driving meetings.

Eyewitness News researched and found out that if an inmate has a clean disciplinary record behind bars, Louisiana's "good time parole" rules allow the inmate to be released after serving half of their sentence.

The New Orleans DA explained, "When you combine this judge's leniency with the accelerated release dates implemented last year in Louisiana's Criminal Justice Reinvestment Initiative, this result becomes possible.

Jacqueline Quynh contributed to this report.

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