New Orleans Man Killed in St. Tammany Parish Crash

UPDATE: Overnight, the driver of the Ford, 54-year-old Hector Garcia of Slidell, was arrested and booked into the St. Tammany Parish Jail for the following charges: Negligent Homicide, Aggravated Obstruction of a Highway, Vehicle without Required Equipment or in Unsafe Condition, and Operating a Vehicle while License is Suspended. This crash remains under investigation.

Slidell – This morning, shortly after 3:00 a.m., Troopers from Louisiana State Police Troop L began investigating a two-vehicle crash on the U.S. Hwy 11 bridge in St. Tammany Parish. The crash claimed the life of 34-year-old Antoine Lewis of New Orleans.

The initial investigation revealed the crash occurred as Lewis was northbound on the U.S. Hwy 11 bridge in a 2018 Ram 1500. At the same time, a 2004 Ford F-350 with an enclosed box trailer was stopped and abandoned in the northbound lane. For reasons still under investigation, the Ram struck the rear of the enclosed box trailer.

Lewis was unrestrained and sustained fatal injuries as a result of the crash. He was pronounced deceased on the scene. Prior to the crash, the driver of the Ford abandoned the truck in the northbound lane and was transported in a separate vehicle off of the bridge. This crash remains under investigation.

While not all crashes are survivable, statistics show that properly wearing your seat belt will dramatically reduce your chance of being injured or killed in a crash. Louisiana law requires that every person in a vehicle, regardless of seating position, always remain buckled up. Properly wearing your seat belt is one of the most effective ways to save your life and reduce injuries in crashes.

Contact Information:

TFC William Huggins

Louisiana State Police

Public Affairs Section

william.huggins@la.gov

Office: (985) 893-6250