A woman from Iowa died Sunday evening as the result of a two-vehicle crash on I-10 in Calcasieu Parish.
Troopers say that on March 3, 2019, shortly after 7:00 p.m., they responded to a two-vehicle crash on I-10 about 1 mile west of LA Hwy 397 in Calcasieu Parish.
An investigation by State Police revealed a vehicle driven by 27-year-old Sherice Denne Randell of Vinton was traveling east on I-10 at a high rate of speed. For unknown reasons, Troopers say Randell changed lanes causing the rear of the vehicle she was driving to make contact with the front of a pickup truck driven.
The contact caused both drivers to lose control and both vehicles to run off the right side of the roadway. The pickup truck struck a tree before both vehicles came to a rest in a ditch.
The driver and the other occupants in the pickup truck were properly restrained. The front seat passenger in the pickup truck, 51-year-old Elizabeth Kent of Iowa, was seriously injured and transported to Lake Charles Memorial Hospital where she later died. The driver was not injured.
Troopers say that excessive speed on the part of Randell is suspected to be a factor in the crash. Randell was charged with 4 counts of negligent injuring, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, following too close, improper lane use, and no seat belt.
Additional charges are possible.
Toxicology samples were obtained from both drivers and will be submitted for analysis. The crash remains under investigation.
