Fatal accident in Calcasieu Parish under investigation

Authorities in one Louisiana Parish are continuing to investigate the first fatality of the year there. The fatal accident happened at the intersection of Second Street and Evangeline Highway in Calcasieu Parish. The preliminary reports suggest that the 40-year-old driver of one car was traveling on Evangeline Highway in the westbound direction when the vehicle crossed the center line.

The vehicle then left the roadway, collided with a culvert, flipped and landed on its roof. The driver was taken to a local hospital, but succumbed to his injuries there. A female passenger whose age and identity was not released was taken to a hospital in Alexandria. Her condition was described as moderate but stable.

Police will conduct a toxicology examination of the driver. No further indication of why this accident happened has been released thus far, but intoxication could have played a role in the accident.

As is the case in any fatal accident on a Louisiana roadway, investigators will work to determine what factors led to the death and injuries. For the surviving victim, the road ahead may be challenging as she works to physically and mentally recover from this tragic ordeal. Under Louisiana’s personal injury laws, should it be found that the driver acted negligently behind the wheel in a manner that is deemed to have caused her injuries, she may pursue a personal injury claim for damages against his estate. Civil claims for financial relief, if liability is established, can provide reimbursement for monetary damages sustained as a result of negligent acts.

Source: kplctv.com, “CPSO investigates first traffic fatality for 2013,” Elona Weston, Jan. 2, 2013