HAMMOND, La. — A man is dead, and two juveniles were injured in a double crash that closed I-12 for hours during morning rush hour traffic.
The initial crash happened at about 7:30 a.m. Tuesday on Interstate 12 near Pumpkin Center Road in Tangipahoa Parish according to Louisiana State Police.
Troopers say Javier Morel of Denham Springs was driving a 2004 Ford Escape eastbound with two juvenile passengers inside.
They say that for reasons still under investigation, Morel traveled off the roadway and struck multiple trees.
Both juveniles and Morel were ejected from the vehicle. The juveniles sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were taken to the hospital by EMS.
“After the initial crash and before emergency personnel arrived on the scene, Morel walked away from the original crash and into the right lane of Interstate 12 eastbound,” LSP investigators say.
“At the same time, a 2019 Kenworth T880 was eastbound in the right lane of Interstate 12. For reasons still under investigation, the Kenworth struck Morel.”
Morel sustained fatal injuries as a result of the second crash. He was pronounced dead on the scene by EMS.
The driver of the semi-truck was not injured and submitted to a routine toxicology test which is pending as the investigation continues State police say.
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