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Man threatens to sue LCG over sidewalk issues

Posted at 7:55 PM, Apr 02, 2019
and last updated 2019-04-02 21:01:16-04

(KATC) — Joshua Ewing is a Lafayette man living with a form of muscular dystrophy that making getting around difficult without the aid of a wheelchair.

On a recent Saturday night out, Ewing found himself without the services of an Uber when trying to get back to his home near Blackum Coliseum.

Rather than wait around on Jefferson Street Ewing decided to get himself home on the sidewalks adjacent to Johnston Street. However, what he encountered was missing cement patches and uneven terrain that made it difficult for him to get home.

“I made it to Johnston Street, down Vermilion and I figured ‘my house isn’t that far away. I can save a little money and just make it another mile and a half,'” Ewing said.

He didn’t get far.

“It was just about impossible. There were sidewalks that were buckled, sidewalks that were missing. Huge chunks missing out of the sidewalks. Some of the sidewalks had been reduced to gravel,” Ewing said

That attempt to get home reminded Ewing of another difficult situation. While trying to get to jury duty at the Lafayette Parish Courthouse he faced similar obstacles during his commute.

Now, Ewing is threatening to sue the city unless something is done to fix the sidewalks.

LCG officials initially agreed to meet with KATC but once at city hall we were denied that interview. LCG cites pending litigation as the reason.