Late on Sunday afternoon, January 3, a man from Harvey died following a single vehicle ATV accident in Westwego.

According to Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s deputies the accident happened at around 5.30 p.m. in the 9400 block of Cabildo Lane near Westwego. Don Smith of Harvey who was 43 years old was riding the four-wheeler which belonged to a friend, when he lost control and crashed into a tree. When officers arrived at the scene, Smith was lying in the street suffering from severe injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The police are continuing to investigate the incident but it is thought that alcohol may have been a factor.

Smith had been employed by Garden of Eden Lawncare LLC for 17 years and is survived by his wife of 13 years Princilla T. Smith, as well as two daughters Brandy Henderson and Kaneisha Thornton and his stepson Michael Meyers.

Call (855) 816-8136 today to schedule your free initial consultation with the Slidell accident attorneys of Ron Austin & Associates, LLC, or contact us online. Please call us right away to learn more about how we can help you.

On Monday, October 19, an elderly lady injured in a car accident died in hospital.

According to New Orleans Police, 80 year old Dorothy Johnson of New Orleans was driving a Chevrolet Tracker across Poland Avenue on North Johnson Street shortly after noon. She was crossing Poland at Johnson on her way to the mechanic shop, only three blocks from her home when she was hit on the driver’s side by a red Hyundai saloon being driven by a 38 year old man.

The crash was so severe Johnson had to be extricated with special equipment with most of the damage being on the driver’s side. The Hyundai exhibited mainly serious front end damage.

Johnson was taken by ambulance to University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead of multiple blunt force trauma.

The male driving the Hyundai was questioned and tests for impairment are pending. In addition the investigation will check to see at what speed he was travelling. So far no citations have been issued.

Dorothy Johnson is survived by her eight daughters, 16 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild.

Call (855) 816-8136 today to schedule your free initial consultation with the Slidell accident attorneys of Ron Austin & Associates, LLC, or contact us online. Please call us right away to learn more about how we can help you.

On Monday night, August 31, a woman from Slidell died in a car accident.

According to Mississippi authorities, the accident happened on Monday night at around 8 p.m. near the intersection of U.S. Highway 90 and Lakeshore Road west of Waveland.

The Hancock County Coroner said that 76 year old Assunta “Sue” Vitagliano Young, of Slidell, was attempting to cross from Lakeshore Road near the Silver Slipper Casino when a car which was travelling on U.S. 90 hit her car.

Young died at the scene from her injuries and the driver of the other vehicle was taken to hospital but her injuries are unknown.

Young was born in Italy and had been married for 50 years to Charles Young and had a son and two daughters. She was formerly the owner of Assunta’s Italian Restaurant in Slidell where she was known as Aunt Susie.

Call (855) 816-8136 today to schedule your free initial consultation with the Slidell accident attorneys of Ron Austin & Associates, LLC, or contact us online. Please call us right away to learn more about how we can help you.

On Sunday, July 19, a truck hit and killed a man on Interstate 10 in Slidell.

According to Louisiana State troopers the accident happened shortly after 9 p.m. on the Interstate near Oak Harbor Boulevard.

Ricky Nunez, aged 46 and of Pearl River was driving east on Interstate 10 when he stopped his vehicle on the right shoulder due to mechanical problems. He then decided to walk across the interstate and 25 year old David Wolfe of Slidell driving a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado, hit him.

Wolfe attempted to avoid Nunez but was unable to and immediately afterwards 52 year old Dreux Seghers of Ocean Springs, MS driving a 2005 Land Rover ran into the Silverado.

State Police went on to say that say both Wolfe and Seghers showed no traces of alcohol following samples being taken and at this stage neither are facing charges as the investigation continues. They also reminded pedestrians of the danger of walking on the interstates.

Call (855) 816-8136 today to schedule your free initial consultation with the Slidell accident attorneys of Ron Austin & Associates, LLC, or contact us online. Please call us right away to learn more about how we can help you.

On Sunday morning, June 14, two people died in a crash on Interstate 10.

According to the Louisiana State Police, the accident happened around 11.30 a.m. on the Interstate eastbound, just east of Slidell, and near the Interstate 59 junction near the Louisiana Welcome Center.

It appears that a 2013 Toyota Corolla being driven by 82 year old George Wells, was in the right eastbound lane of I 10. Traveling behind him was 36 year old Bruno Palacios in a 2015 Freightliner 18 wheeler.

Then Palacios, for reasons unknown, did not change his speed and ran into the back of Wells in his Coralla. The impact was so great that both vehicles went into the center median and the 18 wheeler overturned, blocking part of the westbound lane of the Interstate.

Both Wells and his wife, Jean, died in the accident. They were from Mandeville.

Palacios was not injured in the crash. The police said that all three were wearing seat belts and impairment is not suspected. However, the crash remains under investigation with criminal charges pending.

Call (855) 816-8136 today to schedule your free initial consultation with the Slidell accident attorneys of Ron Austin & Associates, LLC, or contact us online. Please call us right away to learn more about how we can help you.

On Wednesday, April 29, following a car crash in Mandeville, a female passenger died.

According to State Police, the accident happened shortly after 8 p.m. on U.S. 190 near Fontainebleau State Park. A Nissan Maxima being driven by 35 year old Miles B. Wood, was traveling west and according to witnesses he was within the 55 mph speed limit. His front seat passenger was 33 year old Jennifer L. Gibson, of Ponchatoula.

In front of them and moving more slowly than them was an 18 wheel Freightliner being driven by 35 year old Troy A. Brigham of Dallas. As the distance closed between them, Wood failed to brake and smashed into the rear of the Freightliner’s trailer.

Gibson was not wearing a seat belt and she suffered severe injuries. She was transported to Interim LSU Hospital in New Orleans where she died. Brigham was uninjured.

The police do not think impairment was involved and a voluntary breath test on Brigham did not detect any alcohol. However the Louisiana State Police Crime Laboratory will still carry out blood analysis on Wood.

Call (855) 816-8136 today to schedule your free initial consultation with the Slidell accident attorneys of Ron Austin & Associates, LLC, or contact us online. Please call us right away to learn more about how we can help you.

A woman was struck and killed by a truck while using a crosswalk in Harvey and her family is now suing Jefferson Parish together with the companies who designed the crosswalk.

Desiree Decay Felton was killed in March 2014 and her children have filed a lawsuit claiming the faulty construction of the crosswalk led to the accident and her subsequent death.

Their mother was walking across Manhattan Boulevard in Harvey and was in a crosswalk when she was struck by a truck. In 2012 Fleming Construction Company made the crosswalk larger but the lawsuit claims it was badly designed and built and exposed pedestrians to risk. In addition they contend that the traffic signals were not sufficiently adequate to warn approaching motorists, there were not sufficient ramps and curbs and the lighting was poor.

The family is looking for an unspecified amount in damages for wrongful death, survival, pain and suffering, loss of income and funeral expenses.

Call (855) 816-8136 today to schedule your free initial consultation with the Slidell accident attorneys of Ron Austin & Associates, LLC, or contact us online. Please call us right away to learn more about how we can help you.

On Monday night March 16, there was what was thought to be a fatality as a result of a vehicle accident in Harvey.

According to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, officers were dispatched at around 9.00 p.m. and discovered a deceased man, 19 year old Terrance Wright of Gretna, sitting behind the wheel of a 2015 Volkswagen Jetta on Keith Way Drive.

Investigators believe the victim was driving the Volkswagen Jetta on Keith Way Drive when the vehicle left the roadway and crashed through several fences in the vicinity, coming to a stop in a rear yard of 3800 block of Melissa Drive in Harvey.

However, his death was not due to the motor vehicle accident as he had a single gunshot wound to the chest.

According to authorities, investigators have so far not identified any suspects or a motive in the shooting.

Call (855) 816-8136 today to schedule your free initial consultation with the Slidell accident attorneys of Ron Austin & Associates, LLC, or contact us online. Please call us right away to learn more about how we can help you.

On Saturday February 14 a woman was killed by a drunk driver.

According to police, 21 year old Logan Calhoun, from Texas, ran a stop sign on Josephine and struck a car being driven by 40 year old Kalonda Hawkins, who was driving eastbound on Laurel. Calhoun struck Hawkins’ car so hard that it spun and overturned into a tree and light pole, trapping her inside. She was transported to hospital where she succumbed to her injuries.

New Orleans police said that Calhoun had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and swayed while standing after the accident and he then registered a blood alcohol content of 0.231 which is over three times the legal limit in Louisiana. He was booked with vehicular homicide.

Some of Hawkins’ neighbors talked about the intersection where the crash happened saying that the stop sign on Josephine is too far back for drivers to be able to see oncoming traffic on Laurel. In addition they went on to say that drivers often speed down Laurel past the intersection because there are no stop signs for several blocks beforehand.

Call (855) 816-8136 today to schedule your free initial consultation with the Slidell accident attorneys of Ron Austin & Associates, LLC, or contact us online. Please call us right away to learn more about how we can help you.