A man was traveling north on U.S. 171 last April when he got flat tire on the Calcasieu River Bridge. At the same time, another vehicle was also traveling north on U.S. 171 heading toward the man and his disabled vehicle. The woman driving that car ended up slamming into the disabled car killing the man and his daughter who was only 13 years old at the time of the fatal accident.
Now, a little more than a year later, the woman driving the car has pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide and negligent injuring in connection with the deaths of the father and daughter. Louisiana authorities discovered that the woman had taken a number of drugs on the day of the accident. It is believed that due to this drug use, she was impaired when she struck the man’s car.
The entered her plea just a week before she was to go to trial. Her sentencing has been scheduled for July 26. It is not known whether the victims’ family will be present at that sentencing.
This fatal accident may serve as a reminder to Louisiana drivers just how fragile life is and how quickly things can change. This family didn’t only lose one member that day, but two. The young girl that was killed will never get a chance to grow up, and her family will never know the kind of woman she would have become. The victims’ family may be able to gain their own sense of justice by filing wrongful death claims against the woman who has now admitted to taking their lives.
Wrongful Death
Toddler Dies in Fatal Accident on US 90 in Louisiana
The Louisiana State Police are searching for a white minivan believed to have been involved in an accident that led to the death of a toddler. The fatal accident took place near LA 632 on US 90. Anyone with information regarding this white minivan is asked to contact Troop B in St. Charles Parish.
It is believed that the white minivan in question was in the right lane of the highway when it passed a speeding car in the left lane. When the van got past the car in the left lane, it pulled in front of the car and applied its brakes. This caused the car to swerve to the right and crash into a ditch.
The driver, front seat passenger and a four-year-old in the backseat all sustained minor injuries. Unfortunately, the 2-year-old passenger was not properly restrained and was thrown during the accident. Despite the efforts of medical personnel at an area trauma center, the toddler died as the result of head trauma sustained in the accident.
The Louisiana State Police have indicated that speed is a factor in the crash. However, it is not yet clear whether impairment was also a factor; and toxicology tests have been sent for analysis. The investigation is ongoing and criminal charges are pending.
The family of the toddler retains the right to file a wrongful death claim against the party or parties responsible for the fatal accident that stole the toddler’s life before it had a chance to begin. The results of the official investigation, including locating the white minivan, may be used by the family to identify the party or parties to be named in a civil action. Those same results can be used to illustrate the negligence of the responsible parties and that their actions led to the toddler’s death.
Suspected Drunk Driver Surrenders After Louisiana Auto Accident
Every driver on the roads in Louisiana owes a duty of reasonable care to others. When a person decides to drink and then get behind the wheel of their car, they are likely breaching that duty. Should an auto accident result from a person drinking and driving, that individual may not only criminal charges, but could also be required to answer civil claims pursued by the people and families they have impacted.
There is a family in Louisiana that is now without their two-year-old toddler due to a suspected drunk driver. A man driving an SUV slammed into a pickup truck in which the toddler was riding. That toddler was taken to a hospital in Baton Rouge where medical personnel attempted to save his life. Unfortunately, their efforts failed, and the toddler died as a result of the injuries he sustained in the accident.
Authorities suspect that the driver of the SUV was impaired at the time of the accident. As a result, he has been charged with vehicular homicide, OWI, and other charges. The driver turned himself in to police and was booked into an area jail.
In addition to the criminal charges he is already facing, the family of the toddler retains the right to file a wrongful death claim against him. Should they be able to demonstrate that the driver was negligent and that his actions caused the death of the two-year-old boy, the victim’s family may be awarded the costs and damages they have sustained as a result of this tragic auto accident. No amount of monetary compensation will ever be able to right the fact that this young boy will never have a chance to grow up. That is something his family will never get to see. However, successfully litigating a civil action may help the family achieve some sense of justice on behalf of the life that ended far too soon.
Auto Accident Caused By Loose Trailer Kills 1 in Louisiana
The Louisiana State Police are investigating an unusual accident that occurred earlier this month on Interstate 10 in Ascension Parish. The cause of the auto accident appears to be a loose trailer. One person was killed as a result of the accident.
A Ford F-350 was traveling west on I-10 with a trailer attached to the back of the pickup truck. Unfortunately, the trailer was not properly secured, and it came loose from the pickup. It shot across the highway through a break in the median guardrail and into oncoming traffic in the eastbound lanes of I-10.
The driver of a Ford F-150 pickup was unable to avoid colliding with the trailer. When his vehicle hit the trailer, his pickup first veered off the right side of the highway and then shot back across the eastbound lanes of traffic. The vehicle came to a rest in the median. Even though the driver of the F-150 was properly restrained, he suffered such severe injuries that he did not survive the accident.
The Louisiana State Police do not believe that alcohol was a factor in the crash, but toxicology samples were taken from both drivers as a matter of procedure. The investigation is ongoing. Even if the police do not file any criminal charges in connection with this tragic auto accident, the family of the victim retains the right to proceed with a wrongful death claim. If the family is able to prove that the other driver was negligent in causing or contributing to the death of the victim, they may be awarded the costs and damages they have incurred in connection with the tragedy.
Louisiana State Police Seeks Second Auto in Fatal Accident
Louisiana State Police have determined that a second vehicle was involved in a crash that killed a pedestrian. Troopers believe the second vehicle involved in this fatal accident is a Chevrolet, and that it could be either a passenger car or a sports utility vehicle. Anyone with information is asked to come forward.
The accident occurred just south of Louisiana 592. A 51-year-old pedestrian was standing in the left lane of U.S. 165 when a 58-year-old woman headed northbound in a Toyota Avalon struck him. As the Louisiana State Police were investigating the accident, they determined that a second vehicle had been involved. Troopers believe that vehicle has damage to its undercarriage and front bumper.
The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Toyota was properly restrained and no injuries were reported. Even though the accident is still under investigation, alcohol is not believed to have been a factor in the accident, at least in so far as the driver of the vehicle that stopped at the scene of the accident
The family of the deceased pedestrian retains the right to file a wrongful death claim in connection with this fatal accident. The family may want to wait to file until the Louisiana State Police are able to locate the second driver to determine what role that vehicle played in the accident. At that point, the family will be in a better position to assess the potential liability of both drivers for the fatal accident. In addition, since the investigation is still ongoing, it is not yet known what charges, if any, may be filed in connection with the accident. Knowing the outcome of the official investigation can help the family determine their rights under our state laws as they struggle to come to terms with the tragedy and its aftermath.
2 Louisiana Residents Killed in Car Wreck on US 61
Driving on the highways of Louisiana can be treacherous. There are always things to watch out for and obstacles to avoid. Even if a driver manages to avoid a car wreck by being attentive and vigilant, sometimes unexpected things happen that are simply unavoidable. Recently, a flying pickup truck altered the lives of three people in East Baton Rouge Parish.
The driver and passenger in a Mercury Grand Marquis traveling down US 61 became the unfortunate victims of the airborne pickup truck. The driver of the pickup truck had lost control of his vehicle, crossed the median, became airborne and flipped over. As it flipped, it hit the top of the Grand Marquis killing the 84-year-old driver and 81-year-old passenger. The driver of the pickup truck was treated for non-life-threatening injuries at a local hospital. A third vehicle was hit by debris from the accident, but, thankfully, no one in that vehicle was injured.
The Louisiana State Police are still investigating the accident. They do not believe that impairment was a cause of the accident, but have sent blood samples to the state crime lab for confirmation. They do say that speed may have been a factor in the crash.
Tragically, the victims of this fatal car wreck were in the wrong place at the wrong time. But knowing that may not give their families any solace. The outcome of the investigation will determine whether any criminal charges are going to be filed against the driver of the pickup truck, though authorities have indicated that charges are pending the outcome. A criminal conviction against the pickup driver, if obtained, may be offered as evidence of liability in any wrongful death action filed in Louisiana courts by the surviving family members of the victims. If liability is established, the families may demand financial remuneration for damages suffered as a result of the fatal accident.