On July 5, 2021, shortly before 6:00 p.m., Louisiana State Police Troop D responded to a single-vehicle crash on LA Hwy 26 about ¾ of a mile east of US Hwy 171 in Beauregard Parish. The crash claimed the life of 64-year-old Denise D. Alloway of DeRidder.

The preliminary investigation revealed a 1999 Dodge Ram pickup truck, driven by Alloway, was traveling east on LA Hwy 26. For unknown reasons, the Dodge ran off the left side of the roadway and down an embankment of a ditch. The pickup truck traveled through the ditch, struck a tree, and rolled over onto its side.  

Alloway was not properly restrained at the time of the crash and sustained serious injuries. She was transported to an Alexandria area hospital by Acadian Air Med where she succumbed to her injuries. A toxicology sample was obtained from Alloway and submitted for analysis. The crash remains under investigation.

Louisiana state law requires vehicle occupants to be properly restrained in all seating positions, day or night. Statistics show the chances of surviving a crash rise significantly when properly restrained but the decision not to wear a seat belt can have deadly consequences. Motorists are encouraged to make the smart choice and to always wear a seat belt.

Troop D has investigated 16 fatal crashes resulting in 16 deaths in 2021. 

This article originally appeared on Leesville Daily Leader: Unrestrained driver killed in single-vehicle crash in Beauregard Parish