An accident involving two cars killed one person on Feb. 19 in Ouachita Parish. The crash happened shortly before 8:00 p.m. at the intersection of Rowland Road on Louisiana Highway 594.
Louisiana State Police troopers responded to the collision that took place when a 35-year-old man driving a GMC pickup was traveling east on Rowland Road and did not yield at a stop sign. The GMC pickup hit a Chevrolet Equinox headed north on the highway.
Both drivers wore their seat belts when the crash occurred, but the 62-year-old woman driving the Equinox, who was from Monroe, was in critical condition at St. Francis Hospital until she succumbed to her injuries on Feb. 20. The driver of the pickup, who is from Monroe, was cited for failure to yield at a stop sign. It is unknown whether alcohol or drugs played a role in this accident, and the police obtained a toxicology sample for analysis.
While the investigation for this accident appears to be ongoing, the driver of the pickup truck may be responsible for the wreck if he was drinking and driving. In addition to a toxicology test, the authorities might use witness statements and the man’s whereabouts before the wreck to determine what his mental state was. If the police find out that the man was under the influence when the car crash happened, the victim’s family could be entitled to compensation in civil court.
Negligent behavior like drinking and driving can make someone liable for an accident that led to injuries or death, and a wrongful death suit could allow a family to receive restitution for funeral costs and loss of support and companionship from the responsible party.
Source: KNOE, “Update: Monroe woman killed in Ouachita Parish crash”, Jennifer Hensley, Feb. 20, 2015
