| id | cleanReleaseDate | troopName | title |
| 3971 | 2014-12-13 | Troop E | Lack of Seat Belt, Excessive Speed, and Suspected Impairment are Factors in Ferriday Man’s Death |
TROOP E NEWS RELEASE December 13, 2014 Lack of Seat Belt, Excessive Speed, and Suspected Impairment are Factors in Ferriday Man’s Death Concordia Parish – Early this morning, a single vehicle crash killed a young man from Ferriday, LA. He was not wearing his seat belt and was ejected during the crash. He is suspected of being impaired and driving at a high rate of speed when the crash occurred. Troopers responded to the crash around 4:53 a.m., which occurred on LA Hwy 15 north of LA Hwy 131. The crash involved a 1997 Jeep Cherokee, driven by Roger L. Merrill (W/M 24 yrs). The Jeep was northbound on LA Hwy 15 when Merrill lost control and exited the right side of the roadway. After exiting the roadway, the vehicle reentered LA Hwy 15 before Merrill overcorrected it and exited the right side again. The vehicle then began overturning before coming to rest. Merrill was pronounced dead at the scene. Routine toxicology tests are pending. The crash remains under investigation. Motorists must be reminded that alcohol has many effects on the body. Alcohol can impair visual ability, alter sense of time and space, impair fine motor skills needed to operate a motor vehicle, and decrease reaction times. Just one drink may cause these effects. Louisiana State Police would like to take this opportunity to remind/inform motorists that properly wearing your seat belt will dramatically reduce your chance of being injured or killed in a crash. We ask you to take one second to “buckle up!” Speeding reduces a driver’s ability to steer safely around curves or objects in the roadway, extends the distance necessary to stop a vehicle, and increases the distance a vehicle travels while the driver reacts to a situation. Troop E Troopers have investigated 47 fatal crashes in 2014, resulting in 59 fatalities. Contact Information: M/T Daniel “Scott” Moreau Louisiana State Police Public Affairs Section – Troop E Office: (318) 769-9USA (872) scott.moreau@la.gov www.LSP.org www.facebook.com/LouisianaStatePolice | |||
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