Unrestrained Louisiana Child Dies in Single-Vehicle Crash on LA 91

Louisiana – According to Louisiana State Police, Troopers from LSP Troop I were notified of a single-vehicle crash on Louisiana Highway 91 near Arpent Lane in Acadia Parish shortly before 10:00 a.m. on July 12, 2022. 8-year-old Mazey Guidry of Eunice, Louisiana, was killed in the crash.

The initial investigation by Louisiana State Police revealed that the crash occurred while Guidry was traveling south on LA 91 as a front-seat passenger in a 1999 GMC Sierra pickup. The driver, Carla Lacombe, 44, of Eunice, Louisiana, ran off the road to the right for reasons that are still being investigated. As a result, the pickup began to rotate before colliding with a culvert and overturning.

Troopers indicated that during the investigation, they determined that Guidry was unrestrained at the time of the crash, and was ejected from the vehicle. The Acadia Parish Coroner’s Office pronounced her dead. Both Lacombe and the passenger in the back seat were properly restrained and suffered only minor injuries. Lacombe provided a breath sample that revealed no alcohol was present and no signs of impairment. Charges are pending, and the accident is still being investigated.

According to the Louisiana State Police, due to recent changes in child passenger laws, occupants under the age of 13 must sit in the rear seat when one is available. While not all crashes are survivable, proper seat belt use can greatly increase the chances of survival by distributing forces across the body’s strong bones and preventing ejection. Please be a responsible driver or passenger and buckle up every time you drive or ride.

Follow this link for more information on Child Passenger Safety Laws.

Troop I has investigated 25 fatal crashes so far in 2022, resulting in 29 deaths.