NATCHITOCHES PARISH, La. — On Thursday, Feb. 12, a routine afternoon drive on Interstate 49 in Natchitoches Parish turned tragic. Just after 1:40 p.m., authorities responded to a violent collision and fire that shut down both the northbound and southbound lanes for hours and claimed a life. The accident is another reminder of how dangerous high-speed interstate crashes can be, especially when large commercial vehicles are stopped along the roadway.
According to law enforcement, a commercial tractor-trailer had pulled onto the southbound shoulder to address a flat tire when another 18-wheeler traveling in the same direction drifted off the roadway and struck the parked truck on its left side.
Tragically, the collision claimed the life of 25-year-old Dejuan Dickerson of Highland Park, Michigan, who was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the other truck, who was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, suffered only minor injuries.
Charges are pending for the surviving driver in connection with the crash as investigators continue piecing together the circumstances that led to this devastating event.
To better understand the risks and the legal framework surrounding crashes like this, sometimes referred to as “sitting duck” truck crashes, we spoke with Herman, Katz, Gisleson & Cain (HKGC) partner Jed Cain, who practices out of the HKGC Natchitoches office and handles serious trucking and wrongful death cases across Louisiana.