Louisiana Tragedy as Man’s Bout with 18-Wheeler Is Fatal on I-10

A terrible tragedy unfolded in Louisiana Wednesday afternoon on I-10 as a driver drove onto the shoulder of the road when an 18-wheeler moved into the right-hand lane of traffic.

According to Trooper First Class Matt Gaspard with the Public Affairs Section of Louisiana State Police, investigators have only completed the preliminary investigation into what transpired on I-10 Wednesday afternoon in the Lake Charles area.

What Happened On The Roadway?

At this stage of the investigation, they know that the 18-wheeler was in the center lane of I-10, moving to merge into the right lane, while 60-year-old Joseph Amos was in the right lane. When the 18-wheeler was moving over, Amos pulled over onto the shoulder of the road and began to reduce his speed.

At some point, Amos, with his truck still on the shoulder, began to accelerate and attempted to pass the 18-wheeler from the shoulder of the road. Gaspard says the man lost control of his pickup truck. It started to rotate, and eventually, it ran off the roadway. The vehicle then hit a tree.

Gaspard says investigators explained that Amos was not wearing a seat belt when the crash happened. The man suffered serious injuries due to the truck's impact on the tree. The man was pronounced dead at the scene by the coroner.

As is typical in crashes involving death or serious injury, routine toxicology samples are taken, and so Amos' sample will be sent to a lab for testing.

What About The 18-Wheeler?

Gaspard says investigators were able to identify who was driving the 18-wheeler. They say charges are pending in connection with this case, but we do not know what type of charges at this time.

The investigation continues, but your information can help Louisiana State Police investigators. Suppose you know anything about what happened before, during, or after this crash or any other information pertinent to the investigation. In that case, you are asked to call the number for Troop D of State Police at 337-491-2511.

If you prefer to anonymously give them information, you can visit http://la-safe.org/. Once you are there, click on the "Suspicious Activity" link.

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