Desoto Parish Crash Claims the Life of Two Unrestrained Teens and Severely Injures Two More, Speed and Impairment Suspected

TROOP G NEWS RELEASE

October 27, 2023

Desoto Parish Crash Claims the Life of Two Unrestrained Teens and Severely Injures Two More, Speed and Impairment Suspected

Stonewall – On Friday, October 27, 2023, shortly before 5:00 a.m., Troopers from Louisiana State Police Troop G began investigating a single-vehicle fatal crash on Rambin Road just west of U.S. Hwy 171. This crash claimed the lives of 18-year-old Peyton Plunkett of Shreveport and 18-year-old Seth Battlefield of Haughton.

The preliminary investigation revealed that a 2019 Ford F-150, driven by Plunkett, was traveling east on Rambin Road. For reasons still under investigation, the F-150 crossed the centerline, exited the roadway to the left, and struck a tree.

Plunkett and Battlefield were transported to a local hospital where they were pronounced deceased. Two additional unrestrained teens sustained serious injuries and were transported to a local hospital for treatment. Routine toxicology samples were collected and will be submitted for analysis. This crash remains under investigation.

Time and time again, Troopers witness preventable motor vehicle crashes. Impairment and lack of seat belt usage are primary causes of crashes across the state. Louisiana State Police urge motorists to have a plan in place that includes a designated driver when consuming alcohol. Alcohol can impair visual ability, alter the sense of time and space, impair fine motor skills, and decrease reaction times. Alcohol can begin to impair a person's ability to safely operate a motor vehicle after just one drink. Please choose not to drive impaired or ride with an impaired driver, and always buckle up.

Louisiana State Troopers wish to remind motorists to obey all speed limit signs and avoid all distractions. 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 22 fatal crashes, resulting in 23 deaths.

Contact Information:

TPR LeAnn Hodges

Louisiana State Police

Public Affairs - Troop G

Office: (318) 741-7409

[email protected]