Acadia Parish – On March 26, 2022, shortly after 8:00 p.m., Louisiana State Police Troop I was notified of a two-vehicle fatality crash on Interstate 10 eastbound near mile marker 68 (between Egan and Jennings) in Acadia Parish. The crash claimed the life of 35-year-old Colette Babineaux of Lafayette.

The initial investigation by State Police revealed a 1994 Isuzu pickup truck was headed east on I-10 when it was struck from behind by a 2010 Honda Civic, driven by Babineaux. After striking the Isuzu, the Civic traveled off the roadway, struck a tree, and became fully engulfed in flames. The Isuzu rotated and came to rest in the median.

Babineaux did not exit from the Civic after impact and died at the scene. The driver and passenger of the Isuzu received minor to moderate injuries. Restraint use on the part of the occupants of both vehicles was unable to be determined. Standard toxicology results are pending and this crash remained under investigation.

Louisiana State Troopers remind motorists that, while not all crashes are survivable, statistics show the chances of surviving a crash rise significantly when properly restrained. Making good choices while in motor vehicles such as always ensuring every occupant is properly restrained, not driving impaired, and not being distracted behind the wheel can often mean the difference between life and death.

Troop I has investigated 7 fatal crashes resulting in 9 deaths in 2022.