Houma crash kills a local teen

Car in the bayou claims a life
January 31, 2019
First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States
January 31, 2019
Car in the bayou claims a life
January 31, 2019
First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States
January 31, 2019

State Police say a wreck caused when one driver failed to yield at a stop sign resulted in the death of a Houma teen, when the truck he was driving plunged into the waters of Little Bayou Black Wednesday night.


Benjamin Chabert, 16, was driving north on La 311 near Barataria Boulevard in a 2006 Silverado pickup shortly after 4:30 p.m., Trooper First Class Jesse LaGrange said. According to the State Police account 74-year-old Lawrence Legnon was driving a 2002 Ford F-150 west on Barataria Boulevard, approaching La. 311. LaGrange said Legnon stopped at the intersection’s stop sign but then proceeded without yielding to the truck driven by Chabert.

Chabert struck Legnon’s vehicle and ran off of the roadway to the left after impact, LaGrange said, then overturned and became submerged in the bayou. Legnon sustained what State Police said were minor injuries and was transported to Terrebonne General Medical Center by Acadian Ambulance Service.

Bayou Cane Fire Chief Ken Himel said a call was received at 4:46 p.m. of a wreck at the location and firefighters were on the scene within five minutes, at 4:51, confirming people in the water at 4:52.


“When we got in the water, we found an unresponsive driver,” Himel said. “First the guys attempted to pull him out with no success; something was holding him.”

Firefighters could not ascertain if the truck’s dash or something else was keeping Chabert trapped.

Two additional firefighters tried to get under Chabert’s arms, but they were also frustrated in their attempt.


A bystander, Himel said, attempted to pull the truck out, and firefighters attempted to move it as well.

There were concerns, the chief said, that the truck might roll if further attempts were made to dislodge it, potentially creating a worse scenario. A third attempt was made to extricate but was also unsuccessful.

A wrecker whose operators are skilled at removing vehicles from water arrived from Terrebonne Ford, and the truck was finally removed.


“My guys never quit,” Himel said of his firefighters, who used extrication tools to recover Chabert’s body.

Firefighters had made a request to the Bayou Cane office for dry clothing and it was delivered. Still engaged in the operation, they made another request because the dry clothes had become wet.

Firefighters, Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies, Louisiana State Police and medical personnel from Acadian Ambulance were still working at the scene at around 6:30 p.m.


LaGrange said troopers do not yet know if impairment was a factor in the wreck. A blood sample was obtained from Legnon and toxicology tests are pending. A standard toxicology report concerning Chabert is pending, through the Terrebonne Parish Coroner’s office.

Both drivers, LaGrange said, were properly wearing seat belts.

LaGrange said motorists should always look and make sure an intersection is clear before pulling into traffic or across intersections.


“Never try and ‘make it’ across when it is unsafe to do so,” LaGrange said.

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