State Police say speed and the lack of a seat belt were factors in a crash on I-10 that claimed the life of one person this morning.
The crash happened around 1 a.m. in St. John the Baptist Parish, troopers say. 26 year-old Dillon Arabie of Thibodaux died in the crash, troopers say.
The preliminary investigation revealed that a 2006 Chevrolet pick-up truck was traveling west on I-10 in the right lane at a high rate of speed, troopers said. As the Chevrolet approached vehicles in the right lane, the driver abruptly moved into the left lane and lost control of the vehicle. The driver swerved back to the right and ran off the road, entered the tree line and struck several trees. The driver was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected.
The driver was pronounced dead on the scene. Impairment is unknown and toxicology tests are pending an autopsy. The crash remains under investigation, troopers said
“Excessive speeding continues to be a factor in fatal crashes investigated in the Troop B area. In 2018, at least 9 crashes have been caused by speeding,” a spokesman for Troop B said. “Each of these crashes were preventable. Obeying speed limits, driving sober, using seat belts properly and avoiding distractions can save lives. Please take the few extra seconds and buckle up, it could save your life.”
