| id | cleanReleaseDate | troopName | title |
| 3112 | 2016-04-24 | Troop D | Impaired Driver Causes Crashes Leading to Death of Man on I-10 |
TROOP D NEWS RELEASE April 24, 2016 Impaired Driver Causes Crashes Leading to Death of Man on I-10 LACASSINE, LA – An impaired hit-and-run driver caused a crash early this morning which led to two subsequent crashes and a pedestrian being struck and killed on I-10 overnight. On April 24, 2016, at 1:17 a.m., Louisiana State Police Troop D responded to a crash on Interstate Highway 10 near the community of Lacassine in Jefferson Davis Parish. The initial investigation revealed a Ford pickup truck was towing another Ford pickup truck in the right lane of I-10 Westbound when a Ford Mustang struck one of the trucks and fled the scene. This caused the lead pickup truck to stall. Before the driver could restart the vehicle, the pickup truck was struck in the rear by a Nissan pickup truck. This impact forced the Ford pickup into the center median and the Nissan to become disabled in the left lane. A few minutes later, yet another pickup truck towing a sailboat approached the previous crash location in the left lane. The driver noticed the disabled Nissan pickup and started to move to the right lane when the driver noticed someone standing in the right lane of travel. The driver attempted to avoid the pedestrian but was unable to and struck the pedestrian and the Nissan pickup. A few minutes later, a Ford Mustang was involved in a single-vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 90 at Deer Walk Road in Calcasieu Parish. The driver, 22-year-old Luis Enrique Astorga of Nacogdoches, Texas, drove the vehicle into a ditch. Troopers determined Astorga was impaired and arrested him for DWI. After Astorga refused to submit to a breath test, a “no refusal” warrant was obtained from a judge and a blood sample was taken. Results are pending at the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab. Troopers discovered paint evidence on the Mustang and the Ford pickup from the crash on I-10 indicating the Mustang was involved in the original crash. Additionally, the witness description of the distinctive yellow Mustang with black stipes involved in the crash on I-10 matches the description of the vehicle Astorga was driving. The crashes remain under investigation and additional charges are pending. Last year, 64 percent of fatal crashes investigated by Troop D involved an impaired driver. Alcohol consumption affects judgement as well as the skills needed to drive safely. Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead and designate a sober driver before going to any place where alcohol will be consumed. Not doing so can have deadly consequences. To report impaired drivers, motorists are encouraged to dial *LSP (*577) from their cellular phone or to contact their local law enforcement agency. Troop D has investigated 14 fatal crashes resulting in 18 fatalities this year. | |||
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