Louisiana State Police Investigate Double Fatality Crash on LA Hwy 36

By Calcasieu Staff
Published October 08, 2024

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Covington, Louisiana – On October 8, 2024, Louisiana State Police Troop L commenced an investigation into a two-vehicle crash that resulted in the deaths of two individuals in St. Tammany Parish. The incident occurred around 6:45 a.m. on LA Hwy 36, near Kipp Road, and involved a 2019 Honda Fit and a 2020 GMC Acadia.

According to preliminary reports, Jeanna Dysart, a 67-year-old resident of Abita Springs, Louisiana was operating the Honda Fit in an eastbound direction. At the same time, 29-year-old Samantha Gaines from Pearl River, Louisiana was driving the GMC Acadia westbound on the same highway. For reasons that are still being examined by investigators, Dysart’s vehicle crossed the centerline, leading to a head-on collision with Gaines’s vehicle.

Dysart, who was reportedly unrestrained at the time of the incident, was pronounced deceased at the scene. Gaines’s use of a seatbelt remains unknown, but she too was pronounced dead at the crash site. A child passenger, who was properly restrained in the GMC Acadia, sustained moderate injuries. A passing motorist, who witnessed the crash, provided immediate care to the child before emergency personnel transported the child to a local hospital for further evaluation.

As part of the ongoing investigation, routine toxicology samples were collected from both drivers for analysis. This process is standard procedure in incidents involving fatalities, as it helps determine if substances such as alcohol or drugs played a role in the crash.