Shortly after 3:30 a.m. Friday, troopers from Louisiana State Police Troop I responded to a single vehicle fatality crash that occurred on Interstate 49 southbound near Washington. The crash claimed the life of the unidentified driver and passenger.
The initial investigation led troopers to determine that the unidentified driver was driving a 2000 International tractor-trailer southbound on Interstate 49 near mile post 25. For reasons still under investigation, the driver lost control of the vehicle, causing it to run off the left side of the roadway near the median. The driver over corrected and the vehicle began rotating clockwise. As the vehicle was rotating, it rolled over and struck a guardrail.
The driver and passenger were not wearing seat belts and suffered fatal injuries. A St. Landry Parish Coroner’s Office representative arrived on scene and pronounced both men dead. Impairment is not suspected to have been a factor in this crash. As part of the ongoing investigation, troopers obtained blood samples which were sent to the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab for analysis.
The crash remains under investigation.