Washington Man Dies Following Dump Truck Crash Under Interstate 10 Overpass

LAFAYETTE, La. (KPEL News) - At the beginning of 2023, an 18-wheeler hauling an excavator caused Interstate 10 at its overpass over Interstate 49 to be shut down as it damaged the overpass. Louisiana DOTD officials have announced a repair plan to fix it.

Fortunately, the driver wasn't killed or ever reported to be injured.

Another crash on I-10 that happened less than a week later involving a dump truck and another overpass had a horrible outcome for the driver.

Louisiana State Police say the fatal crash happened early Sunday morning around 1:00 a.m. on I-10 at the Trumps Road overpass near Exit 72 (Egan Exit) in Acadia Parish. Investigators say 71-year-old Bernard Bush of Washington, Louisiana, was driving west in the right lane in the dump truck when he approached the overpass.

The problem was the dump bed of the truck was in an elevated position and it struck the underside of the overpass. That caused the dump bed to separate from the frame and the cab to overturn. Bush, who was not restrained, was then ejected from the dump truck.

Troopers say Bush was transported to a local hospital in critical conidtion. He died from his injuries Tuesday evening.

A standard toxicology sample was obtained for analysis and this crash remains under investigation.

Louisiana State Troopers leave you with this reminder:

Always wear a seat belt in every seating position and on every ride. Seat belts work to spread out the forces the body will experience in a crash. They also work to protect the head, neck, and spine, as well as prevent ejection from the vehicle. Taking simple precautions such as wearing a seat belt can often mean the difference between life and death.

It has been a rough start to 2023 as Troop I has investigated 4 fatal crashes that ended the lives of 5 people so far. Local authorities in Lafayette and the surrounding areas have also worked quite a bit of fatal crashes in the first couple of weeks of 2023 as well.