| id | cleanReleaseDate | troopName | title |
| 1009 | 2013-04-24 | Troop A | Unrestrained Driver Killed in West Baton Rouge Parish Fatal Crash |
TROOP A NEWS RELEASE April 24, 2013 Unrestrained Driver Killed in West Baton Rouge Parish Fatal Crash Grosse Tete – This evening shortly before 6:00 pm, Troopers from Louisiana State Police Troop A began investigating a two vehicle fatal crash that occurred on I-10 eastbound east of LA Hwy 77 in West Baton Rouge Parish. The crash took the life of 34 year old Baton Rouge resident Michael W. McCants. The initial investigation by State Police revealed that the crash occurred as McCants was driving a 2003 Ford E-250 van eastbound on I-10. At the same time, 42 year old Jose Ruiz of Hialeah, FL was driving a 1999 Freightliner tractor-trailer eastbound on I-10. Ruiz was traveling in the right hand lane and was slowing his vehicle due to traffic congestion in front of him. McCants’s van approached Ruiz’s vehicle from the rear at a higher rate of speed, and the van struck the rear of the tractor-trailer. After striking the tractor-trailer, the van ran off the roadway to the left and came to rest in the median. McCants was not wearing a seatbelt and sustained fatal injuries from the crash. Driver impairment on the part of McCants is not suspected; however, Troopers have submitted a toxicology sample from him to the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab for analysis. Ruiz was properly restrained and was uninjured in the crash. Impairment on his part is not suspected. Louisiana State Troopers wish to remind motorists of the importance of seatbelt use. Louisiana law requires that every person in a motor vehicle, regardless of seating position, always remain buckled up. Statistics show that the chances of surviving a violent crash rise significantly when properly restrained. Taking the time to buckle up before every trip is the single most effective thing you can do to protect yourself in a crash. Contact Information: | |||
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