3 Killed and 1 Charged in Separate Louisiana Car Accidents

Two separate accidents on Louisiana roadways have led to the death of three men and criminal allegations against another man. It is speculated that careless driving for prevailing weather conditions may have been a significant factor in both car accidents. One accident occurred in Slidell, and the other occurred near Ponchatoula.
The accident in Slidell occurred when the driver somehow lost control of his vehicle, sending it spinning into a tree. The driver and front seat passenger were taken to Ochsner Northshore Medical Center to be treated for minor injuries. The backseat passenger was apparently not properly restrained during the accident and was fatally injured. After being treated for his injuries, the driver was taken to St. Tammany Parish Jail on charges of negligent homicide, careless operation and other charges.
The accident near Ponchatoula on Interstate 55 occurred when a driver lost control of his vehicle, causing it to scrape the right side of an 18-wheeler. The driver then over corrected and landed on its roof in a canal containing at least a few feet of water. Both the driver and front seat passenger were unable to free themselves from the vehicle and died.
The driver of the 18-wheeler in the second accident was not hurt, and a breath test did not indicate he had been drinking alcohol. The Louisiana State Police are not sure whether any drivers were impaired at the time of the accidents. Toxicology samples have been taken and will be analyzed.
There are several thousands of car accidents each year involving drivers that do not take reasonable care during inclement weather, and some of those accidents result in death. It is then that the family of the victim may file a wrongful death claim against the party or parties deemed responsible. This appears to be the case in connection with the Slidell accident, though in the Ponchatoula accident, the driver apparently responsible was also killed. It may still be possible for the family of the passenger to file a wrongful death claim against the estate of the deceased driver, based upon proof of negligence. No matter what the families in these cases decide to do, nothing can change the tragic consequences of the fatal collisions.