A person described by Louisiana State Police as an unidentified Hispanic male is dead following a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 10 shortly before 1:00 a.m. on Wednesday.
According to a press release from LSP spokesman Trooper Thomas Gossen, the crash happened on I-10 Westbound near Butte La Rose in St. Martin Parish after the now-dead driver got out of his Mercedes-Benz sedan after his vehicle was struck from behind by a Honda Pilot SUV being driven by Jose Gonzalez of Houston, Texas. Trooper Gossen says the unidentified driver got out of the Mercedes after both vehicles were disabled. That’s when a Jeep Liberty SUV hit the Mercedes and fatally wounded the driver as he stood near his Mercedes.The other two drivers were restrained and were sent to the hospital with minor and moderate injuries.
There were also two passengers in the Jeep Liberty who were also restrained. They were sent to the hospital for treatment.
Investigators are waiting on standard toxicology tests to determine impairment as the crash remains under investigation and charges are pending.
This is the 28th fatal crash investigated by Troop I in 2021. 35 people have died from these crashes.