St. Martinville Man Dies In Crash

A 16-year-old driver, who lost control of his vehicle, crossed the center line of Louisiana Highway 182 killing a 46-year-old St. Martinville man.

Louisiana State Police Troop I Spokesman Trooper Thomas Gossen says, in a press release, that Brandon Jeanbatiste died late Thursday afternoon after the crashed that happened on Louisiana Highway 182 near Boudreaux Road in St. Martin Parish.

Gossen says that the teen's vehicle hit Jeanbatiste's vehicle head-on, and he was wearing a seat belt, but he was pronounced dead by the St. Martin Parish Coroner's Office nonetheless. The two occupants of the other vehicle were both wearing seat belts, but the passenger in that vehicle was taken to a hospital with moderate injuries while the driver was not injured.

The driver of the Suburban that crossed the center line of the highway, did give a breath sample, but there was no alcohol detected. Routine toxicology tests will be completed on all three people.

Gossen says they are still working to figure out all of the details of what happened during this crash, and he adds that charges are pending in connection with this fatal crash.

There have been twenty-one fatal crashes in our Acadiana region investigated by Louisiana State Police since the beginning of the year.

Trooper Gossen joins us weekly on Acadiana's Morning News on Tuesdays to talk about the different factors that go into fatal crashes. He reminds drivers that distracted driving can lead to fatal results. He says whether a driver is distracted by their children, the radio, phones or just not paying attention to their driving, all of these things can have fatal consequences. He asks everyone to buckle up and stay safe.