Tragedy struck twice in Louisiana this month, with two separate road accidents leading to fatalities in both St. James and Lafourche Parishes.
According to WGNO, the first of the two occurred on December 5 on Louisiana Highway 18, in St. James Parish when a 2007 Nissan Altima, driven by 20-year-old Shonta’jia Gibson of Prairieville, veered across the center line and collided head-on with a westbound 2020 Toyota Camry, Gibson was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident and later passed away from her injuries on December 14.
The Louisiana State Police are still investigating why the Nissan crossed into the opposing lane, both drivers were rapidly transported for urgent medical treatment to a hospital outside the immediate area, and though the Camry's driver was restrained and suffered moderate injuries they survived the crash.
Tragedy would strike again last Tuesday, this time in Lafourche Parish on Louisiana Highway 20 near Perez Lane, a 2017 Kia Sorento carrying 78-year-old Herman Hall, was hit head-on by a 2017 Kia Cadenza that swerved into the opposite lane to avoid a vehicle that abruptly stopped, the stopped vehicle was reacting to an erratic driver attempting to pass in a no-passing zone, Hall, who was also correctly secured in his seatbelt at the time of the accident eventually succumbed to his injuries, confirmed by the WWLTV report.
State Police Troop C is currently piecing together the harrowing moments that led to both tragic incidents, with efforts multiplying in identifying the driver who illegally passed in the second crash and calling to account the full circumstances of these heartbreaking events.
