Grant Parish, Louisiana - A 54-year-old truck driver from Woodworth died early Sunday morning after losing control of his commercial vehicle on U.S. Highway 165, according to Louisiana State Police.

Derrick L. Mason from Woodworth, Louisiana, was driving a 2020 Freightliner southbound on U.S. Highway 165 north of Louisiana Highway 524 when the fatal crash occurred at approximately 2:45 a.m. on September 14, 2025.

Louisiana State Police Troop E investigators reported that Mason lost control of the commercial truck for reasons that remain under investigation. The Freightliner left the roadway and struck several trees before overturning.

Mason was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash and sustained severe injuries, police said. Emergency responders pronounced him dead at the scene.

The investigation into what caused Mason to lose control of the vehicle continues. State police collected routine toxicology samples and submitted them for laboratory analysis, which is standard procedure in fatal traffic crashes.

U.S. Highway 165 serves as a major transportation corridor through central Louisiana, carrying both commercial and passenger traffic.

Louisiana State Police remind drivers that seatbelts save lives and are required by state law for all vehicle occupants.