Mother’s Day weekend death toll continues to rise

State police reported three more deaths over the Mother’s Day weekend, increasing to 10 the number of people who died in traffic accidents in Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes over the three-day holiday.

Jarrod Kiger, 21, of Lockport, and Elgin Lirette Jr., 52, of Houma, were killed around 8:40 p.m. Sunday after the two collided on Louisiana Highway 1 south of the Golden Meadow floodgate and their vehicles burst into flames, authorities said.

Kiger was headed north in a 2005 Toyota Tundra, which crossed the centerline as he negotiated a right curve, state police reported. The Toyota struck a southbound 1999 International 10-wheeler driven by Lirette. The vehicles became totally engulfed, authorities said. Both men died at the scene.

Blood analysis tests are pending to determine if either man had alcohol or drugs in their system, authorities said. Trooper Dustin Richard is investigating the crash.

In Terrebonne Parish around 9:45 p.m. Sunday, Scotty Thibodeaux, 22, of Houma, was killed when a Cadillac in which he was riding veered into another vehicle, state police said.

According to authorities, Jonathan Dehart, 21, of Houma, was driving north on Louisiana Highway 57 in a 2006 Cadillac CTS. As he tried to negotiate a curve, the vehicle ran off the right shoulder, overcorrected to the left and began to spin counterclockwise. State police said Dehart’s Cadillac crossed the centerline and struck a 1998 Dodge Ram, which was driven by Shawn Bourg, 39, of Houma.

Dehart nor his passengers, Keith Billiot or Thibodeaux, were wearing seatbelts, state police said. Dehart and Billiot received moderate injuries and were treated at Leonard J. Chabert Medical Center. Thibodeaux was rushed to Chabert, where he later died.

Bourg and his two passengers, Donna Bourg, 41, and a nine-year-old boy, were wearing seatbelts. They sustained moderate injuries and were treated at Terrebonne General Medical Center, authorities said.

State police suspect Dehart had been drinking alcohol prior to the wreck. Alcohol results are pending on both drivers, although authorities said they do not believe Bourg had been drinking.

Dehart was charged with one count of vehicular homicide, four counts of vehicular negligent injury, driving left of the centerline and driving without a license on his person.

Trooper Dustin Richard is investigating the crash.

State police saw an abundance of accidents on Tri-parish highways beginning at the outset of the Mother’s Day weekend.

On Friday afternoon, Keia Sumler, 18, of Gretna, died near the Lafourche Crossing on Louisiana Highway 308 after she overcorrected as she returned to her lane after passing several cars, lost control of her 1996 Honda Accord and hit a 2007 Ford Crown Victoria.

Sumler, who was not wearing a seatbelt, died at the scene, state police said.

Authorities said Sumler was speeding on Louisiana Highway 1 when she tried to pass several cars just north of Lafourche Crossing. When she returned to her lane, Sumler overcorrected and crossed the centerline, striking the Crown Victoria driven by David Tate, 52, of Thibodaux. The Accord spun counterclockwise and was hit in the passenger side by the front of the Crown Victoria, state police said.

Tate received moderate injuries in the crash. He was treated at Thibodaux Regional Medical Center.

State Trooper Kirk Foret is investigating the crash. Alcohol and drug test results are pending.

Shortly after 6:30 p.m. Friday, Juan Perez, 28, a passenger in the car driven by Danis Flores, 18, of Galliano, was killed after the vehicle struck a truck and careened into two trees, authorities reported.

Flores was traveling north on Louisiana Highway 308 in his 1993 Toyota Camry when he attempted to pass a vehicle. State police said the Camry struck the front right tire of a 2001 Peterbilt towing a tank trailer that was attempting to pass the Galliano man’s Camry. Both vehicles were in a legal passing zone, authorities said.

The Camry spun counterclockwise into the southbound lane. It struck a tree, began to overturn and hit a second tree before coming to a stop.

State police said all five occupants of Flores’ vehicle were wearing seatbelts. The front passenger died from injuries sustained in the wreck.

The four others in the Camry, including Flores, were transported to Lady of the Sea Hospital for treatment.

The driver of the truck, Charles Morland, 35, of Napoleonville, refused medical attention at the scene.

State Trooper Donald Callais is investigating the crash.

Bonnie Doggett, 61, of Gray, died Saturday at 1:52 p.m. after her 2007 Harley Davidson 1200XL Sportster skidded into her husband’s motorcycle on West Park Avenue in Terrebonne Parish, authorities said.

Doggett’s husband, Robert, 54, was turning left onto the Elgin Street Bridge when the front tire of her motorcycle locked up and skidded into his bike, state police said. Both were thrown from their motorcycles.

Bonnie Doggett sustained head injuries and was rushed to Terrebonne General Medical Center, where she later died.

Both of the Doggetts were wearing novelty, non-Department of Transportation approved helmets, authorities said. According to Louisiana law, the helmets are not legal.

State police said novelty helmets are thinner than DOT-approved helmets and do not provide adequate protection.

Authorities said alcohol-use is suspected to have played a role in the crash; toxicology results are pending. Trooper First Class Chris Celestin is investigating the crash.

Also on Saturday, around 7:45 p.m., three people died in a head-on collision on La. 308 in Lafourche Parish, state police reported.

Binh Pham, 18, of Larose, reportedly fell asleep as she was driving a 2004 Honda Odyssey south on La. 308, authorities said. Her van crossed the centerline and struck a northbound 2001 Ford Focus driven by Dawn Graham, 32 of Cut Off.

Graham, her 10-year-old daughter, who was riding in the front seat, and her 8-year-old son, a passenger in the backseat, were pronounced dead at the scene. Graham’s 13-year-old daughter is being treated at University Hospital in New Orleans. She is listed in critical condition, authorities said.

Graham was wearing a seatbelt, however, none of the children were buckled, state police reported.

Pham’s passengers – her father, Thong Pham, 48; her mother, Oanh Pham, 54, who was riding in the rear seat; and her 15-year-old brother, who was also a rear seat passenger, all of Larose – sustained moderate injuries. The 15-year-old was not wearing a seatbelt, police said.

Blood tests are pending to determine if alcohol or drug use contributed to the accident, state police said.

Finally, at 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, Zachary Leblanc, 23, of Schriever, died when his 1998 Chevrolet truck veered off Louisiana Highway 182 and struck a tree, authorities said.

Leblanc was reportedly speeding when, two miles west of Savanne Road, his truck veered off the left shoulder. He overcorrected and lost control of the vehicle, which veered to the right and hit a tree. Leblanc, who was unbuckled, was ejected from the truck. He was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

Alcohol and drug tests are pending. The investigation is ongoing, state police said.