Unrestrained Shreveport Man Killed in Desoto Parish Crash, Speed a Suspected Factor

TROOP G NEWS RELEASE

July 1, 2023

Unrestrained Shreveport Man Killed in Desoto Parish Crash, Speed a Suspected Factor

Mansfield – On Friday, June 30, 2023, shortly after 9:30 p.m., Troopers from Louisiana State Police Troop G began investigating a single-vehicle fatal crash on I-49 just north of LA Hwy 509. This crash claimed the life of 33-year-old Michael Sandifer.

The preliminary investigation revealed that a 2015 Nissan Altima, driven by Sandifer, was traveling south on I-49. For reasons still under investigation, the Altima exited the left side of the roadway, traveled across the median, and struck a concrete bridge pillar head-on.

As a result of this crash, Sandifer, who was unrestrained, suffered fatal injuries. He was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Desoto Parish Coroner’s Office. Although impairment is not a suspected factor, routine toxicology samples were collected and will be submitted for analysis. 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.

Speeding reduces a driver’s ability to steer safely around curves or objects in the roadway, extends the distance necessary to stop a vehicle, and increases the distance a vehicle travels while the driver reacts to a situation. Speeding and other aggressive driving behaviors are among the leading causes of highway crashes and fatalities.

In 2023, Troop G has investigated 16 fatal crashes, resulting in 16 deaths.

Contact Information:

TPR LeAnn Hodges

Louisiana State Police

Public Affairs - Troop G

Office: (318) 741-7409

LeAnn.Hodges@la.gov