A woman walking along a New Orleans roadway was struck and killed Sunday evening in the Plum Orchard neighborhood, and police are now trying to piece together what happened. The collision unfolded shortly after 6 p.m. near the intersection of Chef Menteur Highway and Plum Orchard Street. Emergency crews pronounced the woman dead at the scene, and New Orleans police say the driver stayed at the location while investigators worked. So far, officials have shared only limited details about the crash, as reported by WDSU.
According to WDSU, officers on scene said they had not yet identified the victim and did not provide a cause for the crash. The station reported the time and intersection where it occurred and noted that no additional information had been released. The New Orleans Police Department is leading the active investigation.
Where It Happened
The fatal crash happened in Plum Orchard in New Orleans East, along a busy stretch of Chef Menteur Highway that residents have long called out for dangerous driving. Local reporting and traffic safety advocates say deadly crashes have been on the rise in the city and that major corridors like this one often lack basics such as protected sidewalks or safe crossings, according to WWNO. Neighborhood leaders have pushed for upgrades, but progress has been slow.
Recent Crashes Along the Corridor
This is not the first serious crash on this stretch in recent months. A rollover collision on February 21 killed a driver who was ejected from the vehicle, and investigators asked anyone with information to contact the NOPD Traffic Fatalities unit at (504) 658-6205, as reported by Fox 8. In December, WDSU covered another Plum Orchard crash that left a teenager dead and two others injured, a grim reminder of ongoing safety concerns on local streets.
Police are asking witnesses or anyone who may have cellphone video of Sunday’s deadly crash to contact investigators. The NOPD has not yet released the victim's identity or additional details, and the investigation remains open. This story will be updated as officials share more information.
