PLAIN DEALING, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – A crash in Bossier Parish Sunday afternoon claimed the life of an elderly man, according to Louisiana State Police.
It happened just before 4 p.m. on LA Hwy 3, at New Bethel Booker Road.
State police say their initial investigation revealed 75-year-old Donald Cook was not wearing a seatbelt when the 2013 Chevrolet Silverado he was driving south on LA Hwy 3 ran off the roadway and through a ditch before striking a tree.
Cook suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene by the Bossier Parish Coroner.
Impairment is not suspected to be a factor in this crash; however, routine toxicology samples were taken and submitted for analysis. The 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,” state police said in a statement. “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.
In 2022, Troop G says it has investigated 10 fatal crashes, resulting in 11 deaths.
