| id | cleanReleaseDate | troopName | title |
| 1079 | 2013-12-17 | Troop A | Plaquemine Man Killed; Heavy Fog a Factor in Three Ascension Parish Crashes on LA Highway 1 |
TROOP A NEWS RELEASE December 17, 2013 Plaquemine Man Killed; Heavy Fog a Factor in Three Ascension Parish Crashes on LA Highway 1 Donaldsonville – Shortly after 5:00 am on December 17, 2013, Troopers from Louisiana State Police Troop A began investigating three separate crashes involving a total of 21 vehicles that occurred on LA Hwy 1 north of LA Hwy 405 in Ascension Parish. One of the crashes took the life of 62 year old Donald L. Jenkins of Plaquemine. The initial investigation by State Police revealed that the first crash involved three vehicles and occurred as 56 year old Michael Gouthier of Donaldsonville was driving a 2006 Hyundai Accent southbound on LA 1. At the same time, 29 year old Coy Leonard of White Castle was driving a 2008 Chevrolet Equinox southbound, and 23 year old Juan Carlos Vera Torres was driving a 2014 Freightliner tractor-trailer southbound. Due to heavy fog and traffic, Vera Torres slowed his vehicle (a sugarcane truck) to a stop in the roadway. Upon coming to a stop, the sugarcane truck was struck in the rear by the Hyundai. The Hyundai was then struck in the rear by the Equinox. None of the drivers involved in this crash suffered serious injuries. The second and fatal crash involved twelve vehicles and occurred shortly after the first crash as Jenkins was driving a 1991 Acura Integra southbound on LA 1. At the same time, 26 year old Nestali Hernandez of White Castle was also driving southbound in a 2014 Freightliner tractor-trailer. Due to heavy fog and the crash that occurred in front of him, Hernandez slowed his vehicle (a sugarcane truck) to a stop in the roadway. For unknown reasons Jenkins’ Integra struck the rear of the sugarcane truck. The collision between the Acura and the Freightliner caused a chain reaction crash involving ten more vehicles behind them. No other drivers involved in this crash suffered serious injuries. Finally, the third crash involved six vehicles and occurred shortly after the fatal crash as 59 year old Lynn Landry of White Castle was driving a 1996 Toyota Corolla southbound on LA 1. At the same time, 60 year old Patrick Settoon of White Castle was also driving southbound in a 2008 Ford pickup truck. Due to heavy fog and the crash that occurred in front of him, Settoon brought his Ford to a stop in the roadway. He exited his vehicle and attempted to warn oncoming traffic of the crash in front of him. Landry’s Corolla struck the rear of the Ford pickup truck. The collision between the Corolla and the Ford caused a chain reaction crash involving four more vehicles behind them. Landry was cited for driving too fast for roadway conditions. No other drivers involved in this crash suffered serious injuries Despite the fact that he was wearing his seatbelt, Jenkins suffered fatal injuries as a result of the crash. Although impairment is not considered to be a factor in the crash, a toxicology sample was taken from Jenkins and submitted to the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab for analysis. Impairment is not suspected on the part of any other driver involved in these crashes, and all drivers involved were properly restrained. Dense fog is considered to have been the main factor in the crash. These crashes remain under investigation. Troopers urge the public to remain vigilant while driving at all times. Never drive a motor vehicle when impaired or fatigued. Always remain buckled up while in a vehicle, regardless of seating position. During times of inclement weather such as rain or fog, reduce the speed of your vehicle and increase the following distance behind the vehicle in front of you. Avoid distracting activities, especially the temptations of electronic devices that can substantially divert a driver’s attention away from the road, and always obey all traffic control devices. Contact Information: | |||
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