LOUISIANA STATE POLICE
COURTESY LOYALTY SERVICE
Colonel Michael D. Edmonson, Superintendent
News Release June 23, 2011 Church Van Crash Results in Four Deaths and Numerous Injuries
A church van has crashed in West Carroll Parish resulting in four deaths and numerous injuries.
On June 22, 2011, at about 7:17 pm, Louisiana State Police Troop F Troopers, the West Carroll Parish Sheriff's Department, and numerous local agencies responded to a single vehicle crash on LA 587, near LA 2, in West Carroll Parish. The investigation revealed that a 2001 Ford Van was traveling east on LA 587, when for unknown reasons, the vehicle ran off the left side of the road and struck a ditch culvert. After impact, the van rotated counter-clockwise and came to rest on its tires. Eleven occupants were in the vehicle at the time of the crash.
The driver, identified as Joey McKan (w/m 30 yoa), sustained life-threatening injuries in the crash and was transported to St Francis Hospital in Monroe for treatment. Portia Thornton (w/f 53 yoa), Kaitlyn Thornton (w/f 19 yoa), Brittany Thornton (w/f 12 yoa), and Emma Adams (w/f 4 yoa) were all pronounced dead at the scene by the West Carroll Parish Coroner's Office. Five additional occupants were injured in the crash and were transported to hospitals from Monroe to Jackson. Those occupants include Jake Thornton (w/m 20 yoa), Aaron Coats (w/m 21 yoa), two sixteen year old juveniles, a six year old juvenile and another male passenger whose age has not been determined.
All of the occupants are from Oak Grove and the van is from the New Zion Baptist Church in Oak Grove. Seat belt use is unknown at this time. Impairment is not suspected in the crash, but routine toxicology tests are pending.
The crash is still under investigation.
In 2011, Louisiana State Police Troop F Troopers have investigated twenty (20) fatal crashes resulting in twenty-four (24) deaths.
Contact Information,
Trooper First Class Mark Dennis
Louisiana State Police
Troop F Public Affairs
Office: (318)345-2810
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