Start, Louisiana - On Tuesday, January 28, 2025, shortly before 10:00 a.m., Louisiana State Police Troop F initiated an investigation into a tragic two-vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 80, near Tupelo Drive, which resulted in the death of 32-year-old Brandy Cook from Rayville, Louisiana.

According to preliminary reports, Jaylen Hall, a 22-year-old resident, was driving eastbound on U.S. Highway 80 in a 2015 Chevrolet Malibu when the incident occurred. Simultaneously, Cook was traveling westbound in her 2012 Toyota Prius. For reasons that are still being investigated, Hall veered to the left, crossed the centerline, and collided head-on with Cook's vehicle in the westbound lane.

Despite being properly restrained, Cook sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. Hall, who was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the incident, suffered moderate injuries and was subsequently transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.

While authorities do not suspect impairment as a factor in the crash, they have collected routine toxicology samples from Hall, which will be analyzed as part of the ongoing investigation. The Louisiana State Police are continuing to gather details surrounding the circumstances leading up to this tragic incident.