Lake Charles, Louisiana - At around 12:00 p.m. on December 17, 2023, Louisiana State Police Troop D received a report of a collision involving two vehicles at the intersection of Louisiana Highway 14 and Corbina Road. Unfortunately, the crash resulted in the tragic loss of 20-year-old Roger Perez-Sanchez from Lake Charles, Louisiana.
According to the initial investigation, Perez-Sanchez was driving a northbound Mazda 3 and failed to yield at the stop sign on Corbina Road, entering LA 14. Simultaneously, a Ford F-150 traveling east on LA 14 collided with the Mazda as it crossed into the eastbound lane. Perez-Sanchez, who was not wearing a seatbelt, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased by the Calcasieu Parish Coroner's Office. The driver and two passengers in the F-150 were wearing seatbelts and suffered only minor injuries.
Both drivers' blood samples have been sent to the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab for testing as part of the ongoing investigation into this crash.
Louisiana State Police said that it is important to note that while not all crashes can be survived, wearing seatbelts significantly increases one's chances of survival in a crash. Making responsible decisions such as ensuring everyone is properly restrained and avoiding impaired or distracted driving can often mean the difference between life and death when traveling in vehicles.
In 2023 alone, Troop D has looked into 34 fatal crashes resulting in 37 deaths.