Rapides Parish – On April 26, 2022, at approximately 12:50 p.m., Louisiana State Police Troop E responded to a two-vehicle crash on Louisiana Highway 28 East at Louisiana Highway 115. This crash claimed the lives of 25-year-old Joshua Legros of Iowa and 51-year-old Steven Lewein of Mansura.

The initial investigation revealed a 2016 Ford Transit Van, driven by Legros, was stopped at the intersection of Louisiana Highway 28 East and Louisiana Highway 115. For reasons still under investigation, Legros turned left onto Louisiana Highway 28 East, but failed to yield to an eastbound 2000 Peterbilt commercial vehicle. As a result, Legros’s vehicle was struck by the Peterbilt.

Legros and his passenger, Lewein, sustained fatal injuries and were pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Peterbilt sustained minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital. Routine toxicology samples were obtained and submitted for analysis.

While the cause of this crash remains under investigation, distracted and inattentive driving continues to be a leading cause of crashes in our state. Louisiana State Police urges all motorists to stay alert while driving. A lapse in one’s awareness can have deadly consequences.

In 2022, Troop E Troopers have investigated 12 fatal crashes resulting in 12 fatalities.