A three-vehicle crash on Interstate 10 westbound in Henderson at about 1 a.m. Tuesday claimed the life of 25-year-old Vineeth Keesara of Lafayette, a news release from Louisiana State Police Troop I reported.
Tanika Adams, 26, of Jacksonville, Florida, was operating a 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan westbound on Interstate 10 near mile marker 144, police said. As the Volkswagen crossed an overpass, a U-Haul trailer being towed by the Volkswagen became detached and came to a stop in the outside lane of I-10, police said.
After the trailer became detached, Adams pulled her vehicle to the shoulder. Vineeth Keesara was driving a 2003 Honda Accord westbound on I-10 and witnessed the disabled trailer. Keesara pulled his vehicle to the shoulder of the roadway, and Adams along with Keesara approached the trailer on the interstate in an attempt to remove it.
While attempting to move the disabled trailer, a 1989 Peterbilt tractor-trailer driven by 81- year-old Oscar Floyd of Woodville, Mississippi, crossed the overpass, police said. Floyd swerved to the right in an attempt to avoid striking the trailer, but was unsuccessful, police said. The Peterbilt struck the disabled trailer and then the Volkswagen, police said.
During the collisions both Adams and Keesara were struck in the roadway.
Keesara sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead on the scene by a St. Martin Parish Coroner’s Office representative, police said.
Adams sustained critical injuries and was taken to Lafayette General Medical Center by Acadian Ambulance.
Troopers determined Floyd was not impaired at the time of the crash. He voluntarily submitted to a chemical test and his results indicated .000g percent. Troopers do not suspect impairment to be a factor in the crash; however, routine toxicology samples were taken from Adams and Keesara and sent to the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab for analysis.