On May 17 at approximately 11:30 p.m., troopers with the Louisiana State Police responded to the scene of a crash that involved one vehicle. The deadly car accident happened north of U.S. Highway 71 on Louisiana Highway 3225. After months of investigation, officials arrested the man that was driving the pickup truck that night.
The 24-year-old driver was traveling northbound on the highway when he somehow lost control of the pickup. The vehicle then left the road, careened through a private driveway and slammed into a parked semi-trailer. The driver was taken to an area hospital for treatment of the moderate injuries he suffered in the accident.
His passenger did not fare as well, however. The 16-year-old girl suffered severe injuries in the impact to which she succumbed. Troopers with the Louisiana State Police reported that neither the driver nor his young passenger was wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident, and they took this opportunity to remind people that many deaths in car accidents are due to not wearing a seat belt. As for the investigation, toxicology samples were taken as part of the investigation, and testing takes time.
The driver believed to be responsible for this fatal car accident is now facing charges of vehicular homicide. The teen’s family could also file a wrongful death claim against him. If they successfully establish that the death of their loved one was due to his negligent action, the court could consider an award of damages. The evidence prosecutors intend to present to the court in the criminal case — and any conviction secured thereby — could be used in the civil action to that end.
Source: avoyellestoday.com, Ball man charged with vehicular homicide in Rapides Parish accident, Sept. 9, 2016