A one-car crash near Jennings claimed the lives of two elderly women, State Troopers say.
Hattie Minor, 76, of Houston, and Earnestine Bell, 79, of Angie, died in the Saturday afternoon accident on I-10 near Roanoke, troopers say.
The accident happened about five miles west of Jennings, troopers sayd.
The preliminary investigation revealed a 2001 Chevrolet Suburban SUV driven by Minor was traveling east on I-10 and ran off the left side of the roadway and rolled over several times causing Bell to be ejected, troopers say.
Minor and Bell sustained fatal injuries as a result of the crash and were pronounced dead at the scene by the Jefferson Davis Parish Coroner’s Office. Minor was properly restrained and Bell was not properly restrained.
The rear seat passenger, a 78-year-old person from Houston, was properly restrained at the time of the crash and was transported to a Jennings area hospital with minor injuries.
A toxicology sample was obtained and will be submitted for analysis. The crash remains under investigation.
Troopers say:
Louisiana state law requires vehicle occupants to be properly restrained in all seating positions, day or night. Statistics show the chances of surviving a crash rise significantly when properly restrained but the decision not to wear a seat belt can have deadly consequences. Motorists are encouraged to make the smart choice and to always wear a seat belt.
