According to the Louisiana State Police Troop A, a two-vehicle crash caused two fatalities shortly after 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 4. The accident occurred on Highway 447 south of Interstate 12 in Livingston Parish. The victims were a 50-year-old man from Jackson and a 76-year-old man from Denham Springs. Police say the man from Jackson was driving a 1994 GMC pickup truck and traveling northbound on the highway, and the other man who was involved was driving a 2006 Lincoln Town Car traveling southbound on the highway.
The GMC crossed the center line on a curve and entered oncoming traffic, resulting in the head-on collision with the Lincoln. Neither passenger was wearing their seat belts. Police suspect that impairment of the GMC driver may have been a factor in the accident but do not believe the Lincoln Town Car driver was impaired. The Louisiana State Police Crime Lab is analyzing toxicology samples that were taken from each driver.
In a case such as this where a vehicle collision results in the loss of life, authorities will most likely investigate whether additional factors contributed to the accident, such as bad roadway conditions or a defective vehicle. They may also use eyewitness accounts to further assess the incident.
If the lab analysis of the toxicology samples reveals that alcohol was indeed a factor that caused the GMC driver to veer into the southbound lane, that driver will likely be found responsible for the crash. However, police could also uncover details about the Lincoln Town Car driver that could have contributed to the collision as well. For example, if authorities check his cell phone and determine that he was texting while driving, he may have been at fault as well.
Source: WGMB, “2 die in Walker South Road crash“, December 05, 2014
