A 59-year-old Lake Charles man died Thursday after a two-vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 165 in Jefferson Davis Parish, according to Louisiana State Police.
The victim was identified as Shannon Duplechain, who was driving a Freightliner truck southbound on U.S. Highway 165 when the collision occurred at the intersection with Pinehill Cemetery Road.
Louisiana State Police said the crash happened shortly before 11:30 a.m. Investigators determined that a dump truck was traveling east on Pinehill Cemetery Road when it proceeded through a stop sign and struck Duplechain’s Freightliner.
Duplechain suffered serious injuries in the collision and was transported to a nearby hospital. Despite medical treatment, he later died from his injuries.
The driver of the dump truck suffered minor injuries and was not suspected of being impaired, according to investigators. Both drivers were reportedly wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash.
The circumstances surrounding the collision remain under investigation by Louisiana State Police. Authorities have not indicated that impairment was a factor, and additional findings may be released as investigators continue reviewing the crash.
For Duplechain’s family, friends and those who knew him in the Lake Charles area, his death represents a sudden and painful loss. A life that ended following an unexpected highway collision has left loved ones grieving while investigators work to establish the full circumstances of the crash.
The investigation remains ongoing.
