3 die in separate car crashes

Three people were killed in traffic incidents on Tri-parish roads last week, according to authorities.

Larry Doucet, 53, of Houma, was killed when his 2000 Chevrolet Corvette veered off the road, struck a sign and a tree and then sunk in the bayou around 10 a.m. Sunday.

The single-car crash happened at Bayou Black and Cougar drives in West Houma, Houma Police said.

Around 3:14 a.m. Monday, Doucet’s body was pulled from the bayou, authorities said.

A 63-year-old Galliano man was killed Thursday morning when a car struck the farm tractor he was riding, fatally throwing him from the vehicle, state police reported.

Around 8:30 a.m., Gerard Melancon pulled his Mahinda Model C7010 farm tractor out of his driveway and onto the outside southbound lane of La. 3235. An approaching vehicle driven by Amy Ougel, 24, of Lockport, steered her 2002 Mercury Sable to the left lane to avoid striking the tractor from behind, authorities said.

State police said the Sable collided with the tractor, causing Melancon’s vehicle to spin clockwise and roll onto it’s left side. Melancon was thrown from the tractor. Authorities said he died when the Sable came to rest on top of him.

Although alcohol use is not a suspected factor in the incident, state police did draw blood from Melancon and Ougle for analysis.

Around 5 p.m. Thursday, a 68-year-old Golden Meadow man was killed after his vehicle crossed the centerline on La. 1 and sideswiped two 18-wheelers, state police said.

Dennis Collins was traveling north on La. 1 when his 1996 Dodge Ram crossed the centerline and sideswiped the flat-bed trailer near the trailer tires of a 2000 Freightliner. Collins’ pickup continued traveling in the southbound lane and sideswiped a second 2000 Freightliner before coming to a stop, authorities said.

Neither 18-wheeler driver – Terry Adkins, 54, of Angleton, Texas, and Daniel Chartian, 49, of Houston – was hurt, state police said.

According to authorities, Collins was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.

Collins was transported to Lady of the Sea Hospital, where he died from the injuries he sustained in the crash, state police said.

Blood was taken from Collins for analysis; results are pending.

Akins’ and Chartian’s blood alcohol results were .00 percent, state police said.