By ROBIN SHANNON

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE – A Luling woman was killed early Sunday morning when the driver of a Toyota Celica she was riding in lost control of his vehicle and hit a guardrail on Interstate 10 in St. Charles Parish, said Louisiana State Police.

Troop B Spokesman Joseph Piglia said the accident, which also involved two other vehicles, occurred around midnight Sunday on the eastbound lanes of I-10, near mile marker 219.

Piglia said the Celica, driven by Michael Rigamer of Kenner, was traveling eastbound at a high rate of speed, when the driver suddenly lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle left the roadway, struck the cement guardrail, and ended up disabled with no lights in the middle of the interstate.

Piglia said shortly after the Celica came to rest in the middle of the road, the car was struck by a Chevrolet Cavalier, driven by Ruddy Hutton of Hammond, and a Chevrolet Suburban, driven by Louis Garces of Kenner. After hitting the Celica, the Cavalier slammed into the right guardrail, overturned and came to rest upright in the right lane of I-10 east. The Suburban also hit the right guardrail.

Piglia said Stabile, who was in the front passenger seat of the Celica, was found in the right lane of the interstate. The investigation revealed that Stabile attempted to get out of the car before the other vehicles crashed into it.

All three drivers were taken to Kenner Regional Medical Center with minor to moderate injuries. Their condition is unknown at this time.

According to Piglia, investigators are certain speed was a factor in the wreck. He said it is also suspected that Rigamer might have been impaired at the time of the accident. Piglia said charges for Rigamer are pending, as troopers await the results of a toxicology test.

Piglia said the accident completely shut down eastbound I-10 until about 3:30 a.m., while state police conducted their investigation.