A motorist who apparently either coasted through a stop sign, or failed to see it entirely, caused a severe car crash in Log Cabin.
According to officials in Morehouse Parish, 56-year-old Richard Lindeman Jr. of Bastrop, was westbound on Highway 140 when, for reasons that are still unclear, he failed to stop and yield the right-of-way at the U.S. Highway 425 intersection. He collided with 24-year-old Jessica Eppinette, of Bastrop, who was northbound on U.S. 425. [Read more…] about In Louisiana, 'Stop' Means 'Stop'
Fatal Crashes
Alcohol-Induced Fatal Crash In Sterlington
An allegedly drunk driver killed one police officer and seriously injured two others during a traffic stop on southbound Highway 165.
According to Louisiana State Police, 44-year-old Tracy Govan, of Monroe, crossed the fog line in a 2014 GMC Sierra, striking three officers who were on the scene. Officer David Elahi was declared dead at the scene; two other officers, whose names were not released, were transported to a local hospital, where they are expected to survive. Mr. Govan now faces a number of criminal charges, including vehicular homicide, improper lane usage, and vehicular negligent injury. [Read more…] about Alcohol-Induced Fatal Crash In Sterlington
1 Year Later, a Louisiana Family Remembers Fatal Car Wreck
On May 30, 3012, a vehicle containing family and friends on their way home from bible study was slammed into by a drunk driver. The car wreck ended up killing several of the occupants of the car that was hit and put two others on life support. The drunk driver is currently in prison.
The Louisiana driver had just turned 30 years old and had been out celebrating by drinking before he decided to get in his car and drive. That decision has destroyed not only the two families who lost loved ones that day, but also the family of the drunk driver. The damage was so significant that one of the women killed in the accident was not able to have an open casket at her funeral.
The driver was sentenced to a term of 70 years in a Louisiana prison with a possibility of parole after serving 35 years. That’s 10 years for each of the victims that died that night. However, shortly after Mother’s Day, the man’s petition to the court to have his sentence shortened was granted. Instead of 10 years per victim, the man will now be serving five years per victim and could be freed inside of 30 years.
The families of the victims of this senseless car wreck are less than pleased with a justice system they believe failed them and their loved ones. The family says it will continue to push for answers to their questions as to why the man seems to have gotten off easy for killing seven people. Both families may also exercise their civil remedies such as wrongful death claims and personal injury suits in an attempt to find some sort of peace or closure.
Louisiana Woman Killed in Car Wreck in Shreveport
The intersection of Klug Pines Road and West 70th Street in Shreveport became the scene of a fatal two-car accident on May 22. One of the vehicles was traveling south on Klug Pines Road while the other vehicle was headed west on West 70th Street. The southbound vehicle slammed into the driver’s side of the westbound vehicle. Investigators are still in the process of determining what exactly caused the car wreck.
Alcohol is not believed to have been a factor in the crash. However, state law requires toxicology testing to be done when there is a fatality as a result of an accident. The driver believed responsible for the accident, a 66-year-old Louisiana woman, did not suffer serious injuries in the crash. Nonetheless, she was taken to the hospital in order to have the state required blood draw for toxicology done.
The driver of the other vehicle involved, a 70-year-old woman also from Louisiana, was taken to an area hospital with unspecified injuries. The woman passed away at the hospital from the injuries she sustained in the crash, notwithstanding the efforts of medical personnel at the hospital. It remains to be seen whether the driver of the southbound vehicle will be criminally charged.
There is also a question as to whether the family of the victim will exercise its right to file a wrongful death claim against the other driver involved in this car wreck. Before the family makes that determination, they will have the unfortunate responsibility of prematurely burying their loved one. As they struggle to come to terms with their loss, they will surely also want to follow the progress of the official investigation and any related criminal proceedings, should charges result. Regardless, the family may also elect the consider the viability of pursuing a wrongful death lawsuit, and they may gain by researching their legal rights under Louisiana laws.
Louisiana State Police Are Investigating Deadly Car Wreck
The Louisiana State Police are investigating a deadly crash. The car wreck occurred on a portion of a road in Bossier Parish that locals say is dangerous and drivers are always speeding down. The speed limit on the road is posted as 50 mph. However, there is a sharp curve in the road that many people fail to slow down for even though there are signs telling drivers to reduce their speed to 30 mph.
Some locals have expressed the opinion that a more visible police presence may deter drivers from speeding down this stretch of the road. The Louisiana State Police indicate that there is no statistical evidence that this curve is more dangerous than any other on the road. At the same time, troopers believe that dangerously fast speeds may have been a factor in the crash.
The accident occurred when a 17-year-old driver lost control on the curve in the road and slammed head-on into a pickup truck. The 43-year-old driver of that pickup truck was killed in the accident. The extent and nature of the teen’s injuries, if any, is not known. It is not known whether any charges will be filed as a result of the official investigation.
The family of the driver that was killed in this accident has the right to file a wrongful death claim in connection with this deadly car wreck. If his family is able to show the court that the young driver was negligent and that her negligence contributed to or caused the victim’s death, the court may award the family the costs and other damages sustained as a result of his death. Monetary compensation aside, the family may also be able to achieve a sense of closure and peace in knowing they obtained a bit of justice on their loved one’s behalf.
Louisiana Man Killed in Multiple Car and Truck Accident
Interstate 12 East through southern Louisiana became the site of a fiery crash that took the life of one man recently. The truck accident ultimately involved three vehicles – a car, a van and an 18-wheeler. Police are still attempting to determine exactly what happened.
The Louisiana man that died in the 1 a.m. accident drove a Cadillac Seville and suffered such severe injuries that he did not survive long enough to be taken to a hospital. Instead, he was pronounced dead at the scene. The Ford Econoline van contained at least four occupants that required medical attention for minor injuries. It is not known whether the driver of the 18-wheeler was injured.
The truck was hauling an empty box cargo trailer. For some reason, the tractor trailer caught on fire as the result of the accident. It was not reported if the fire contributed to the death of the driver of the car. The roadway was closed to traffic for more than seven hours following the accident.
As police sort out the details of the accident and attempt to determine who was ultimately responsible for this tragic truck accident, the family of the deceased man is forced to bury him prematurely. Should it turn out that another party is deemed responsible for the accident, his family has the right to pursue a wrongful death claim. If the family successfully documents that someone else negligently caused or contributed to his death, the court may award the costs and other damages sustained as the result of his death.