St. Landry Parish- At 10:30 p.m. on July 8, 2022, Troopers from Louisiana State Police Troop I were notified of a single-vehicle crash on Louisiana Highway 182 near Nap Lane in St. Landry Parish. The crash took the life of 19-year-old Krisalyn Thomas and 56-year-old Joseph Chevis, both of Opelousas.
Authorities reveal the crash occurred as the two were traveling in a 1998 Dodge pickup, east on LA 182. Still, under investigation, Chevis failed to negotiate a curve and ran off the roadway. The pickup struck a tree and began to rotate before impacting the ground on its roof.
Troopers determined both Chevis and his passenger, Krisalyn Thomas, were unrestrained. Chevis was pronounced dead at the scene by the St. Landry Parish Coroner's Office. Thomas was transported to a local hospital in critical conditions but, ultimately, succumbed to her injuries. Speed is believed to be a factor in the crash and impairment is still unknown.
