Louisiana Woman Killed in 2-Vehicle Crash on LA 343, 1 Cited with Careless Operation

Louisiana – On May 10, 2022, shortly after 4:30 a.m., Louisiana State Police Troop I was notified of a two-vehicle crash on Louisiana Highway 343 near Moon Court Road in Lafayette Parish. The crash took the life of 59-year-old Lenh C. Vong of Kaplan.
Vong was driving north on LA 343 in a 2022 Honda Accord, according to the initial investigation by State Police. Vong was struck from behind by a 2018 Dodge Durango driven by 33-year-old Jessica Rodriguez of Rayne as she slowed to make a right turn into a private driveway. Both vehicles ran off the road after colliding with the Accord. Vong was critically injured despite being restrained. She was taken to a nearby hospital and died as a result of her injuries. Rodriguez was not restrained and only sustained minor injuries. She was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment before being released.

Vong’s standard toxicology results are still pending. Rodriguez provided a breath sample that revealed no alcohol was present, and she showed no signs of impairment. She was cited with LA RS 32:58 Careless Operation and LA RS 32:295 no seat belt. This crash was still being investigated.

Louisiana State Troopers remind motorists that, while not all crashes are survivable, statistics show that when properly restrained, the chances of surviving a crash increase significantly. Making good decisions while driving, such as ensuring all occupants are properly restrained, not driving impaired, and not being distracted behind the wheel, can often mean the difference between life and death.
In 2022, Troop I investigated 9 fatal crashes that resulted in 11 deaths.