Fatal crash on I-310 Saturday
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, October 10, 2012
By ROBIN SHANNON
L’Observateur
LAPLACE – Louisiana State Police said a Metairie man and a New Orleans woman were killed in three-car accident Saturday morning on I-310 in St. Charles Parish.
Mario Funez, 65, of Metairie, and Sandra Gonzales, 59, of New Orleans, were pronounced dead at the scene as a result of the accident, which happened around 7 a.m. Saturday on I-310 near Louisiana Highway 3127. Several other passengers in the vehicles suffered minor injuries, according to a release from State Police Troop B.
State Police investigators said a 1998 Nissan Altima, driven by Reinerio Infante, 71, of Jefferson, was stopped on the shoulder of I-310 south with hazard lights activated because of mechanical problems. Funez, who was driving a 2001 Nissan X-terra pulled to the shoulder in front of Infante’s vehicle and got out of his car to offer assistance.
According to State Police, minutes after Funez exited the vehicle a 2011 Nissan Altima, driven by Jermey Gullage, 20 of Boutte, and traveling on I-310 south, drifted to the right shoulder for unknown reasons and impacted the rear of Infante’s disabled Altima. Guillage’s vehicle then struck Funez and sideswiped the X-terra.
Funez and Gonzales, who was a passenger in the 1998 Altima, were pronounced dead on the scene, according to State Police. Others injured included Infante and two other passengers of the 1998 Altima, Margarita Infante, 64, of Jefferson, and Haydee Pineda, 64, of Harahan, who were transported to the LSU Interim Public Hospital Trauma Center with minor injuries.
Gullage and Jamaal Williams, 21, of Boutte, a passenger in the 2011 Nissan Altima, were transported to East Jefferson Hospital with minor injuries.
A 41-year-old woman, a 7-year-old and a 4-year-old were passengers in the X-terra and suffered no injuries.
Investigators said speed and impairment are not suspected as factors in the crash; however, Gullage and Infante submitted to blood tests and results are pending. Fatigue is suspected as a factor on the part of Gullage and charges are pending.
