State Troopers responded to a three-vehicle fatal crash on Interstate 12 westbound, east of O’Neal Lane, shortly after 8:00 pm last night. Preliminary investigation has revealed that the crash began when an eastbound vehicle crossed the median and struck a westbound vehicle head on. The eastbound vehicle, a 2008 Honda Accord, being driven by Michael Grimes (W/M, age 67) of Baton Rouge, crossed the median and struck a 2004 Nissan Maxima, being driven by Amber Prepotente (W/F, age 33) of Walker. Immediately after the collision, a westbound 2008 Ford Taurus, being driven by Shannon Moore (W/F, age 39) of Baton Rouge, collided with the Nissan. The Ford continued west after the collision along the north edge of the roadway until it struck a tree and came to rest. The Honda and the Nissan both came to rest blocking both westbound lanes.

All three drivers were properly restrained when the crash occurred and sustained non-life threatening injuries. The front seat passenger in the Nissan Maxima, Robert Sibley (W/M, age 38) of Walker, was not wearing a seat belt and died as a result of his injuries in the crash. There were three other minor passengers involved in the crash. All three minors sustained non-life threatening injuries and were transported to Baton Rouge General Hospital on Bluebonnet by Baton Rouge EMS.

Impairment is not suspected to have been a factor in the crash. However, Grimes and Prepotente both voluntarily submitted blood samples to Troopers for chemical testing to be performed by the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab. Moore voluntarily submitted a breath sample to the Intoxilyzer 5000, which showed that she had no detectable alcohol in her system. Troopers have charged Grimes with Careless Operation. Additional charges are pending the outcome of toxicology testing to be performed by the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab.

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

An Independence man was killed in a one vehicle crash in Livingston Parish on Monday evening.  Livingston Parish Deputies were called to the scene of the crash on Mary Kinchen Rd at approximately 7:30pm. When they arrived they found a GMC truck that had struck a tree and was rolled over onto its side. The lone occupant of the truck, 20 year old Brooks Colton Newell was trapped inside. Members of Fire Protection District’s 1 and 10 assisted in extricating Newell from the vehicle. Newell was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. The cause of the accident is still unknown but is being investigated by the Sheriff’s Office Traffic Division.

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Jason Ard
Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office

The father of William Theriot, who was recently charged in the hit & run death of Chad Gaubert of Paradis, sent us this letter in response to the charges filed against his son. The accident occurred in St. Charles Parish.

Here is a link to the original story

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We do not condone our sons action. Now its ludicrous His charges are stiffened to hit and run felony & charging him as the driver & REDUCING HER CHARGES. This is injustice & the DA’s office has a gag order Curruption? Joel Chaisson is her attorney the President Pro Temp in La House of Representatives. That is stroke in… St Charles Parish. Please pray for our son William and put justice back into the system. btw…she is out with only a 5k bail and he is still in jail on $150k bond requirement makes one wonder if  “all men are created equal”.  If anyone knows stuff on her confessions as her hitting this man or even the belief that she was drunk/stoned or things to help Billy especially her saying she drove after getting out the car and looking at the victim please send me an email. Lets pray for the victim may he rest in peace. Perhaps we can start a collection for legal defense and incareration expenses….maybe even ask one of the banks to be a collection point for donations … please cut and paste these comments into your facebook/myspace/twitter accounts and spread the word of what is going on … we have to stop this injustice before this state becomes known as a banana republic…

Robert Theriot
theriot1254@aol.com

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

A 4-year old boy was killed and a 45-year old man seriously injured when they were struck by at least one vehicle while crossing the street in the 3000 block of North Street around 5:40pm on November 12th. The pair was attempting to cross four lanes of traffic in the dark, moving south to north, not at a crosswalk or intersection, when they were hit by an eastbound car, knocked into the westbound lanes, and then possibly hit or run over again by an unknown car traveling westbound.

Preliminary witness statements at the scene were that a white Dodge Charger headed eastbound in the right hand lane initially struck the two pedestrians, knocking them into another eastbound car, a 1999 Volkswagen Beetle, which was traveling behind the Charger but in the left hand lane. The Charger did not slow or stop. The Volkswagen did, and that driver was contacted and interviewed by police at the scene.

Upon further investigation of physical evidence at the scene, interviews with additional witnesses and reviews of video surveillance cameras in the area, investigators now believe that the initial witnesses were mistaken. Investigators now believe that the white Dodge Charger in the right lane never actually struck the pedestrians, and that the initial contact was made by the Volkswagen in the left lane. The driver of the Volkswagen is identified as VERNON BROUSSARD, 46, 1249 AUDUBON AVENUE. Broussard did stop at the scene and was interviewed by officers. He indicated that he never saw the pedestrians prior to impact and therefore did not know whether another vehicle had hit them first or not. Investigators believe it is possible that Broussard’s view of the pedestrians may have been obscured by another vehicle traveling in the right hand lane behind the Charger and next to the Volkswagen. Broussard showed no indications of impairment or alcohol usage at the scene.

Evidence shows that immediately after impact both pedestrians slid into a westbound lane of traffic and that a dark colored, small to mid-size four door car traveling westbound in the left hand lane may have been unable to avoid running over one or both of the victims. The investigation shows that car did initially stop near the scene but the driver was never identified by or interviewed by officers. Investigators are asking that the driver of this vehicle, or anyone knowing the identity of the driver of this vehicle, contact police, so that a statement can be obtained.

The adult pedestrian is identified as JOHNNY KELLY, 45, 846 PROGRESS. The child is identified as ANDRE WILLIAMS, 4, UNKNOWN ADDRESS. Relatives at the hospital indicated Kelly is a family friend and possibly Williams’ Godfather. There was also evidence that Kelly,who is expected to recover, had been drinking and may have been intoxicated at the time of the crash.

UPDATE:

The driver of the westbound car that is believed to have struck one or both of the pedestrians in the fatal crash that occurred on 11/12/09 in the 3000 block of North Street has now come forward and been interviewed by investigators. She is a 70-year old Port Allen woman. Evidence indicates her car did contact one or both pedestrians, but only after they were already hit by an eastbound car and knocked into her lane of travel. At this time the investigation is continuing and no charges have been filed against anyone involved in the crash.

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Sgt. Don Kelly
Office of Media Relations; Baton Rouge Police Department