Two people died Saturday night in a crash on La. 95, State Police say.
The accident happened just before midnight on July 17 on La. 95 at the intersection with La. 1097 - about four miles north of Duson, troopers say.
Dawn Bernard, 44, of Carencro and James Bellard, 53, of Church Point, died in the crash, troopers say.
Troopers say the preliminary investigation revealed Bernard was traveling east on LA 1097 in a 2017 Honda Accord. As Bernard approached the intersection with LA 95, she failed to yield at a stop sign. The Honda entered the intersection and was struck by a northbound 2006 Ford F-350 driven by Bellard. After the collision, both vehicles came to rest off the roadway.
Bellard, who was unrestrained at the time of the crash, suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Seatbelt use on behalf of Bernard is unknown at this time. She was transported to a nearby hospital where she succumbed to her injuries.
A toxicology sample was collected from both drivers and will be submitted for analysis. This crash remains under investigation.
According to the Center for Disease Control, motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death among people age 1 to 54 in America, troopers say. Taking three seconds to buckle up is your best defense for surviving a traffic crash. Always ensure every occupant is properly restrained. Every trip. Every time, they say.
Troop I has investigated 32 fatal crashes resulting in 40 deaths in 2021.
