Violet Bridge, LA : Gretna man killed in high-speed crash in St. Bernard Parish on Friday morning, August 26, 2016
A 21-year-old Gretna man was killed Friday morning (Aug. 26) in a fiery high-speed crash on La. 39 in St. Bernard Parish, according to Louisiana State Police.
John L. Stafford was pronounced dead on the scene following the crash, which occurred at about 7 a.m. just east of the Violet Bridge, police said.
The other driver in the crash, 66-year-old Larry Ducote of Chalmette, was wearing a seat belt and suffered minor injuries.
Preliminary investigation showed that Stafford, driving a 2011 Chevrolet Camaro, struck the left rear of Ducote's 2005 Dodge Ram pickup shortly after Ducote merged into the right lane of southbound La. 39 from the highway's shoulder, state police said.
The Camaro veered to the left and Stafford overcorrected, veering back to the right. Stafford's car then ran off the roadway, with the driver's side hitting a tree, police said. The Camaro then caught fire.
Speed is believed to be a factor in the crash, which remains under investigation, police said.
Impairment is unknown on the part of Stafford, as toxicology results are pending an autopsy. Troopers do not suspect impairment for Ducote.
The St. Bernard crash was one of two traffic fatalities investigated by Troop B within a 45-minute period.
At about 7:40 a.m. Friday, New Orleans Police Department Officer Tony Mitchell was killed in a crash on the West Bank Expressway.
Mitchell, 45, a 19-year veteran of the department, died after he was thrown off the elevated westbound lanes during the crash, authorities said.
That case also remains under investigation but "criminal charges are pending," said Melissa Matey, spokeswoman for state police.
Both of Friday's fatal crashes involved speeding vehicles, police said.
Citing national statistics that show speeding as a factor in one-third of fatal crashes, Troop B urged local motorists to obey speed limits.
Source :
Gretna man killed in high-speed crash in St. Bernard: State police