A 45-year-old man who vanished after a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 10 was found dead this week in a swamp off the Bonnet Carré area, according to St. Charles Parish authorities. The man, identified as Jonathan McFarland of Collinston, was located about a quarter-mile from the crash scene and his body was sent to the Jefferson Parish Forensic Center for an autopsy.
The collision happened April 19 on I-10 east near milepost 220, and McFarland walked away from one of the vehicles involved before he disappeared, the St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook news release. Sgt. Jenni Barrette, the department’s public information officer, wrote that detectives and the marine division searched the crash area, hotel rooms and friends’ residences after McFarland did not return. The release describes McFarland as a 45-year-old who had been in town for work and was reportedly on his way to a friend’s home in New Orleans before the wreck.
Search And Recovery In Swampy Terrain
Detectives and members of the sheriff’s marine division ultimately found McFarland in a swampy area near the I-10 / I-310 split, about a quarter-mile from the initial crash site, according to the St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office. Search teams had scoured the elevated interstate and the surrounding wetlands after the crash, which drew a multi-agency response. Recovery crews then moved the body to the Jefferson Parish Forensic Center so the coroner can conduct an autopsy and toxicology testing.
Crash Probe And Missing-Person Investigation
The sheriff’s Facebook post states that McFarland left one of the vehicles involved in the crash on foot, then vanished from the scene. As part of the missing-person investigation, deputies checked hotel rooms and a friend’s residence while coordinating search and recovery efforts across waterways and roadside terrain. Authorities did not list any criminal charges tied to the collision in the initial notice and have asked anyone with video or information from the area to contact investigators.
Autopsy Pending As Case Remains Open
According to the sheriff’s office, McFarland’s body was transported to the Jefferson Parish Forensic Center for a post-mortem examination. That facility conducts autopsies for the region, per the Plaquemines Parish Coroner's Office. The investigation is still active, and detectives are following leads from witness video and evidence collected at the scene. Officials have not released any additional details about possible contributing factors in the crash.
