A crash Wednesday night ends with a Louisiana State Trooper in the hospital and an impaired Morgan City man in jail.

Spokesman Trooper Brooks David says 45-year-old Duane McClendon of Morgan City was driving eastbound on Interstate 10 near Breaux Bridge when he ran off the right side of the road and hit a fully marked Trooper vehicle, with the Trooper inside.

Fortunately, the Trooper only suffered minor injuries.

McClendon was arrested for DWI, Reckless Operation of a Vehicle, and Vehicular Negligent Injuring and now sits in the St. Martin Parish Jail.

"Whether impaired through alcohol, drugs, or a combination of the two, the consequences of driving while impaired remain the same," David says. "Driver impairment continues to be a leading factor in fatal and injury crashes across the state. A person’s ability to make good decisions is diminished as alcohol or drugs are absorbed in the body. Troopers continue to urge motorists to remain vigilant while on area roadways, pay close attention to their surroundings, never drive impaired or distracted and always have a plan. This plan should include always having a designated driver when consuming alcoholic taking medications that could potentially cause impairment while driving. Making poor decisions in a vehicle leads to serious injuries and deaths everyday across the state. Making the responsible decision can mean the difference between life and death."

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