Unrestrained Driver Killed in Morning Three Vehicle Crash on LA 89 in Vermilion Parish

Vermilion Parish, Louisiana – An unrestrained driver was killed in a morning three-vehicle crash on LA 89 in Vermilion Parish.

Not long after 8:30 am on July 20, 2023, Louisiana State Police Troop I started a probe into a collision involving three vehicles. The crash occurred on Louisiana Highway 89, close to Lucien Road in Vermilion Parish. Tragically, the incident resulted in the death of Carroll Duhon, a 67-year-old resident of New Iberia, Louisiana.

An initial probe showed that a 2012 Chevrolet Silverado pickup, driven by Carroll, was heading north on LA 89. Concurrently, a 2014 Ram and a 2022 Ford F350 were moving south on the same highway. For yet unclear reasons, Carroll’s pickup strayed across the median line, hitting the Ram and the Ford F350, both of which were heading south.

The investigators found that Carroll was not wearing a seatbelt when the crash occurred. He was declared dead at the crash site by the Vermilion Parish Coroner’s Office. The drivers of the Ram and the Ford were wearing their seatbelts and sustained only minor injuries.

It is currently unknown whether any of the drivers were impaired at the time of the incident, and their blood samples have been sent for testing. The crash is still being investigated.

Louisiana State Troopers emphasize to drivers that although not every vehicular accident can be survived, the likelihood of survival substantially increases when seat belts are properly worn. Choosing to engage in safe practices while on the road, such as abstaining from driving under the influence and always making sure every passenger is securely buckled up, could frequently spell the difference between saving lives or losing them.

Since the start of 2023, Troop I has conducted investigations into 27 deadly crashes, which have led to the loss of 30 lives.