St. Martin Parish, Louisiana - Just before 3:30 a.m. on April 7, 2024, Troopers from Louisiana State Police Troop I were informed of a deadly crash with an off-road vehicle on Louisiana Highway 737 close to Leblanc Road. The crash resulted in the death of 39-year-old Summer Le from Bunkie, Louisiana.
The first examination showed that the crash happened when Le was a passenger in an off-road UTV driven by Ryan Lormand on LA-737. Meanwhile, a 2001 Ford F-150 driven by Joseph Davis struck the UTV from behind, causing Lormand and Le to be thrown out.
Lormand and Le were both not wearing seatbelts in the UTV. Lormand was taken to a nearby hospital with non-life threatening injuries. However, Le was declared dead at the crash site by the St. Martin Parish Coroner's Office.
At the time this was reported, it was unknown if Lormand was impaired, but the results of tests are expected soon and charges may be filed.
Davis was unharmed in the crash. After providing a breath sample, it was revealed that his blood alcohol level was over three times the legal limit. He was taken to the St. Martin Parish Corrections Center and charged with vehicular homicide under LRS 14:32.1. The incident is still being looked into by authorities.
Driving under the influence is not just against the law, but also very unsafe, putting both the driver and others on the road at risk.
Troopers also want to emphasize the importance of not riding off-road vehicles on public roads.
Louisiana State Police Troop I has investigated 14 deadly crashes that led to 15 fatalities in 2024.