Lafayette Police Say Public Tips Help Identify Pedestrian Killed on Evangeline Thruway

LAFAYETTE, La. — Lafayette Police have identified the pedestrian killed earlier this month on the Northeast Evangeline Thruway as 21-year-old Shaida Dugas of Opelousas.

Investigators credited the public with helping them locate Dugas’s family and notify them of her death.

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How Police Identified Dugas

For more than a week, detectives worked to identify Dugas using only physical details, since normal identification methods had not turned up a match. They described her publicly as a Black female in her late 20s to early 30s, about 5 feet 6 inches tall, with a distinctive tattoo on her forearm, and asked anyone who recognized her to come forward. That tip line led investigators to Dugas and from there to her family.

What Happened in the Original Crash

The crash happened around 6 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4, in the 2100 block of the Northeast Evangeline Thruway. Police say Dugas was struck while trying to cross the roadway and died at the scene. The driver was not injured and voluntarily submitted to a breath test; investigators have not reported any signs of impairment. The Thruway, closed for several hours as investigators worked the scene, has since reopened, and no citations have been issued as the investigation continues.

Pattern of Pedestrian Crashes on the Thruway

Dugas’s death marked the third fatal pedestrian crash along that stretch of the Northeast Evangeline Thruway since 2020, KLFY reported. Police say Dugas was crossing outside of a designated crosswalk when she was struck. Lafayette Police Cpl. Tyler Mitcham said the crash serves as a reminder for pedestrians to use designated crossings when crossing the Thruway.

Anyone with additional information about the crash is asked to contact the Lafayette Police Department or Lafayette Crime Stoppers at 337-232-TIPS.

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