| id | cleanReleaseDate | troopName | title |
| 8396 | 2010-02-21 | Troop L | Covington Crash leaves two in Critical Condition |
| LOUISIANA STATE POLICE COURTESY LOYALTY SERVICE Colonel Michael D. Edmonson, Superintendent TROOP L- NEWS RELEASE For Immediate Release February 21st, 2010 Covington Crash leaves two in Critical Condition Covington – Today at 02:10am, Louisiana State Police Troop L investigated a one vehicle serious injury crash on LA 21 north of Covington at milepost #10.1 in St. Tammany Parish. A 2008 Ford Mustang, driven by Jason Cortez (W/M age 26) of Bush, LA, was traveling north on LA 21. As Cortez, an off duty Covington Police Officer, continued northbound on LA 21, he approached a St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office checkpoint manned by three deputies searching for an escaped inmate. Cortez came to a stop prior to the checkpoint and was instructed to proceed forward by the deputies, at which time he accelerated and sped through the checkpoint proceeding northbound on LA 21 at a high rate of speed. As deputies attempted to catch up with the Mustang to conduct a traffic stop, Cortez continued northbound on LA 21 where he failed to negotiate a left curve and ran off the right side of the roadway. Upon leaving the roadway, the Mustang traveled for approximately 72 feet through a ditch before impacting a culvert and becoming airborne. The Mustang rotated counterclockwise and began to overturn when it impacted a utility pole, breaking the pole in half. The vehicle came to rest upright on its wheels in a ditch on the east side of LA 21. Both the driver and front seat passenger in the Mustang, Brittany Thornhill (W/F age 23) of Covington, LA, were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash and were ejected from the vehicle. Cortez and Thornhill suffered severe injuries as a result of the crash and were transported to St. Tammany Parish Hospital in critical condition. Alcohol use is suspected to be a factor in the crash. A urine and blood sample was taken from Cortez with results pending at Louisiana State Police Crime Lab. The investigation into the crash is ongoing with charges pending against Cortez.
| |||
| No attachments for this article. | |||