Louisiana State Police Says Charges are Pending in Fatal Accident
Louisiana State Police troopers are still attempting to determine the reason for a crash that occurred in the early afternoon hours of March 31. Alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the fatal accident. However, as is the case in any accident involving a death, authorities took toxicology samples from the drivers involved and sent them for testing.
Other avenues of investigation are ongoing as investigators await the results of the tests from the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab. So far, it has been determined that three vehicles were involved in the crash. A vehicle heading east on U.S. 90 somehow ended up careening across the median and into the westbound lanes of the highway, where it struck two vehicles.
All three drivers were properly restrained at the time of the crash. Despite that, one of the westbound drivers suffered injuries that turned out to be fatal. The 47-year-old man died later the same afternoon at an area hospital. Authorities indicated that the eastbound driver’s injuries to be moderate, and her current condition is not known. The third driver survived the crash with only minor injuries.
It is also not known when a determination will be made as to whether criminal charges will be filed against the eastbound driver. Even if no criminal charges are filed, the family of the deceased driver retains the right to file a wrongful death claim against the driver. The court may award the family damages sustained in connection with the fatal accident if the family can prove the driver was negligent with respect to the fatal accident.