| id | cleanReleaseDate | troopName | title |
| 921 | 2009-01-25 | Troop A | One Dead, Five Injured in Early Morning I-10 Crash |
| LOUISIANA STATE POLICE COURTESY LOYALTY SERVICE Colonel Michael D. Edmonson, Superintendent TROOP A - NEWS RELEASE One Dead, Five Injured in Early Morning I-10 Crash BATON ROUGE – Shortly after 3:00 a.m. this morning on Interstate 10 eastbound, a crash involving a Honda Civic loaded with passengers claimed the life of one of the rear-seat occupants who was unrestrained when the crash occurred. Taiwan Smith (B/M, age 19) of Kenner was driving a 1996 Honda Civic east on I-10 at milepost 196 when he ran off the road to the left, overturned, and vaulted. The Civic came to rest upright in the ditch, but two of the unrestrained rear-seat passengers were ejected. There were six people in the vehicle when the crash occurred. Smith and his front seat passenger were the only two properly restrained and consequently, the only two who did not sustained serious injuries or worse. Smith sustained only minor injuries and Louisiana State Police charged him with four counts of Negligent Injuring, one count of Negligent Homicide, Careless Operation, No Driver’s License, and No Insurance and booked him into the St. James Parish Jail. Alcohol use by Smith is suspected and additional charges are pending results of chemical analysis on Smith’s blood that Troopers have submitted to the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab. The front-seat passenger, Juan Cash (B/M, age 20) of Kenner, was properly restrained and sustained minor injuries. The right rear-seat passenger, Harold Cash (B/M, age 22) of New Orleans, was unrestrained, was ejected from the vehicle, and was pronounced dead at St. James Hospital. The left rear-seat passenger, Jackie Washington (B/F, age 20) of New Orleans, was also unrestrained and ejected and sustained life-threatening injuries. The third rear-seat passenger, Jamie Washington (B/M, age 22) of Baton Rouge, was unrestrained, luckily managed to stay inside the vehicle, and sustained minor to moderate injuries. Jamar Washington (B/M, age 25) of New Orleans was also riding in the rear seat unrestrained, also luckily managed to stay inside the vehicle, and also sustained minor to moderate injuries. Although state law does not require rear-seat passengers to wear seat belts, Louisiana State Troopers strongly encourage seat belt use in every position in the vehicle. As evidenced in this crash, the safest place for occupants to be when a vehicle overturns is INSIDE the vehicle. The only way to ensure this is to be properly restrained in the vehicle at all times. BUCKLE UP, SEAT BELTS SAVE LIVES!!!!!! Contact Information: Tpr Russell G. Graham II Public Affairs Unit Louisiana State Police – Troop A Office: (225) 754-8524 russell.graham@dps.la.gov www.LSP.org | |||
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