| id | cleanReleaseDate | troopName | title |
| 1228 | 2012-05-02 | Troop A | Five Unrestrained Occupants Ejected, One Killed in Livingston Parish Crash |
TROOP A - NEWS RELEASE May 2, 2012 Five Unrestrained Occupants Ejected, One Killed in Livingston Parish Crash Walker – Louisiana State Police Troop A began an investigation into a fatal crash last night in Livingston Parish shortly after midnight. The crash, which occurred on LA 447 south of Interstate 12, claimed one life and injured the four remaining unrestrained occupants. Troopers’ preliminary investigation revealed that a 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier was traveling north on LA 447 when it entered a right hand curve and ran off the roadway to the left. The vehicle struck a culvert, became airborne, rolled several times, and came to rest on its roof. There were five occupants in the vehicle, none of them were restrained at the time of the crash, and they were all ejected from the vehicle. Stanley Williams Sr. (W/M, age 64) of Denham Springs suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased on the scene by the Livingston Parish Coroner’s Office. Three of the occupants, Deborah Walker (W/F, age 52) of Livingston, Jackie Williams (W/M, age 60) of Denham Springs, and Stanley Williams Jr. (W/M, age 41) of Denham Springs, sustained several injuries and were transported to various local hospitals. Sherrie Forbes (W/F, age 43) of Livingston sustained critical injuries and remains in the hospital. Troopers are still trying to determine who was driving the vehicle. Alcohol is suspected to have been a factor in the crash, as all the occupants were impaired. The crash remains under investigation, and charges may be forthcoming pending the outcome of the investigation. Last year, over half of the fatal crashes across the state involved impaired drivers, unrestrained occupants, or both. Troopers strongly urge motorists to make better decisions before getting into a vehicle. There is never a good reason to drive impaired or to get into a vehicle with an impaired driver. State law requires ALL occupants to be properly restrained, regardless of seating position. The single most effective thing you can do to increase your chances of surviving a violent crash is to buckle up. The primary function of a seatbelt is to prevent ejection and to spread the forces of a crash over a wider part of the body to reduce injuries and fatalities. This is the second fatal crash in the Troop A area over the past week, and both fatalities were a result of ejection during a rollover crash caused by an impaired driver. The safest place to be during a rollover crash is INSIDE the vehicle, and the only way to ensure that you stay inside the vehicle is to be properly restrained. Contact Information: TFC Russell G. Graham II | |||
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