Louisiana State Police Troop A investigated a two-vehicle fatal crash today shortly after 3:00 pm on Interstate 10 westbound, west of Grosse Tete. Preliminary investigation revealed that a 2005 Toyota Sequoia, being driven by Steven Key (W/M, age 39) of Katy, TX, was traveling east on Interstate 10 when it crossed the median into the westbound lanes as it slid sideways and was struck on its passenger side by an 18-wheeler that was traveling west. The 1999 Western Star tractor, being driven by Jeffery Vermeer (W/M, age 53) of Griffin, GA, pushed the SUV approximately 200 feet before coming to rest.

Key had three passengers in the vehicle with him when the crash occurred. His front seat passenger, Sherry Key (W/F, age 36) of Katy, TX, sustained life-threatening injuries and was taken to Our Lady of the Lake Hospital by Acadian Ambulance. Emma Key (W/F, age was in the rear passenger side seat when the crash occurred and died as a result of her injuries in the crash. Steven Key and the fourth occupant, another minor child who was in the rear driver’s side seat, both sustained minor injuries. Vermeer was not injured in the crash.

Alcohol is not suspected to have been a factor in the crash. The roadways were wet at the time of the crash, and Troopers continue to investigate the cause. Key voluntarily submitted a blood sample to Troopers for chemical analysis to be performed at the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab. Vermeer voluntarily submitted a breath sample to the Intoxilyzer 5000, which indicated that he had no detectable alcohol in his system. All the occupants involved were properly restrained when the crash occurred. Troopers were able to clear the Interstate and reopen it to traffic at approximately 6:30 pm.

TFC Russell G. Graham II
Public Affairs Unit
Louisiana State Police – Troop A

A two-vehicle crash on Interstate 10 near Gonzales shortly before midnight claimed the life of a Gonzales man and critically injured another. Jonathan Harelson (W/M, age 22) was driving a 2006 Chevrolet pickup east on Interstate 10 west of LA 30 at a high rate of speed when he attempted to pass a 1998 Lincoln Navigator on the right. Harelson attempted to move into the left lane in front of the Navigator and struck its right front fender with the left rear fender of his truck. Both vehicles ran off the road to the left and entered the wooded area in the median. The pickup rotated counter-clockwise and struck a large tree on the passenger side. Harelson’s passenger, Victor Cross III (W/M, age 20) of Gonzales was pronounced deceased on the scene by the Ascension Parish Coroner’s Office. Harelson, who was not wearing a seatbelt when the crash occurred, was ejected from the pickup and sustained severe head injuries.
The two occupants in the Navigator were properly restrained and sustained only minor injuries in the crash. Debbie Massicott-Henry (B/F, age 39) and Martin Massicott (B/M, age 62), both of Fort Worth, TX were treated and released from St. Elizabeth hospital in Gonzales. Troopers suspect that Harelson was impaired when the crash occurred and have submitted blood and urine samples to the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab for chemical analysis.

With the holidays quickly approaching, Troopers would like to remind everyone that there is no excuse for impaired drivers to be on our roadways. Troopers have stepped up DWI enforcement in an effort to keep impaired drivers off the roads. Historically, we have seen more serious injuries and deaths caused by impaired drivers at this time of year.

Designate a driver and always buckle up! Following these two simple rules will save lives!!

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Tpr Russell G. Graham II
Public Affairs Unit
Louisiana State Police – Troop A

Louisiana State Police Troop A is currently investigating a rollover fatal crash that occurred today just before noon on Interstate 10 east of LA 928 in Ascension Parish. There were fifteen occupants in a Chevrolet minivan traveling west on I-10 when the driver of the van swerved to the left and side-swiped a refrigerated box truck. The vehicle then ran off the roadway to the left into the median, overturned several times, and came to rest in an upright position on the eastbound lanes of I-10. Preliminary investigation suggests that the front left tire on the minivan blew out just before the crash occurred. The refrigerated box truck sustained very minor damage and the driver of the truck was not injured.

There were fifteen (15) occupants in the minivan when the crash occurred. The only two adults in the vehicle, the driver and front-seat passenger, were wearing seat belts. The thirteen (13) children in the back seats were not restrained and were all fully ejected from the vehicle. Five (5) of the vehicle’s occupants, including the driver, were pronounced deceased on the scene by the Ascension Parish Coroner’s Office. The remaining ten (10) passengers were transported to Our Lady of the Lake Hospital and Baton Rouge General Hospital by Acadian Ambulance and Baton Rouge EMS in critical condition.

Troopers and Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Deputies worked together to get the roadway cleared while first responders from Prairieville Fire Department, St. George Fire Department, Acadian Ambulance, and Baton Rouge EMS tended to the injured. Interstate 10 was closed in both directions for approximately one hour before Troopers and Deputies were able to clear one lane for travel in each direction. Shortly thereafter, the roadway was fully cleared for travel.

The names of the deceased are being held pending notification of the next of kin. Alcohol is not suspected to have been a factor in this crash. However, Troopers have submitted a sample of the driver’s blood to the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab for chemical analysis.

Louisiana state law now requires seat belt or child restraint use in every position in the vehicle. Troopers have spent the first two months after the law took effect to educate the public about the new law and are now strictly enforcing this law in an attempt to decrease the instances of serious injuries and deaths caused by vehicle crashes throughout the state. Statistics show that the safest place to be when a vehicle overturns is INSIDE the vehicle. The only way to ensure this is to be properly restrained inside the vehicle.

UPDATE (11/29/09) – The driver of the 2000 GMC Safari Minivan, Mona Hines (B/F, age 38) was killed in the crash. Hines was restrained when the crash occurred, but was partially ejected from the vehicle and pronounced deceased on the scene by the Ascension Parish Coroner’s Office. Four of the children, who were unrestrained in the back seats of the vehicle, Ricky Hines, Jr. (B/M, age 2), Lachante Floyd (B/F, age 12), Edward Barnes (B/M, age 14), and Ashley Hines (B/M, age 14) were also pronounced deceased at the scene. The other adult in the vehicle, Stacey Hines (B/F, age 28), was properly restrained when the crash occurred and is currently in stable condition at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital in Baton Rouge. Seven (7) of the children who survived the crash remain in critical condition and two (2) sustained moderate injuries, but are considered stable. The ages of the surviving children range from less than one year old to 14 years old. All occupants of the vehicle are believed to be from the Harvey area.

UPDATE (11/30/09) – Ariel Hines (B/F, age 12) of Harvey was pronounced deceased just after noon today by doctors at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital in Baton Rouge. Ariel is the sixth person who has died as a result of injuries sustained in the I-10 crash in Ascension Parish on Saturday.

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Tpr Russell G. Graham II
Public Affairs Unit
Louisiana State Police – Troop A