State Police: Two Members of a Breaux Bridge Family Die in a Crash

A Sunday afternoon crash in St. Martin Parish took the lives of two family members.

Louisiana State Police Troop I Spokesman Trooper Thomas Gossen says 41-year-old Christopher Aron Thibodeaux lost control of his vehicle as he was driving down Louisiana Highway 328 Juleau Champagne Road.

What followed was a series of events leading to the death of Thibodeaux and his 16-year-old nephew Carter Bryan Potts. Gossen says Thibodeaux's vehicle hit a ditch, came out of the ditch, and flipped over several times.

Gossen says Thibodeaux was not wearing a seat belt. When the car went airborne, the man ended up being ejected from it. He was pronounced dead by the St. Martin Parish Coroner's Office.

At the time of the crash, Potts was properly restrained, but he too succumbed to injuries sustained in the crash.

Officials say impairment is unknown at this time, but they did take routine toxicology tests to be submitted for analysis.

Trooper Thomas Gossen says Louisiana State Police officials would like to remind drivers to make sure they are wearing their seatbelts.

This crash at around 1 o'clock Sunday afternoon was the 11th fatal crash so far this year in the Troop I area, and there have been 13 deaths because of these crashes.

Gossen says the investigation continues into this deadly crash.

Louisiana State Police officials ask the following of all drivers:

• Never allow distractions to take your mind off of driving
• Never drive when you are tired
• Never drive impaired
• Make sure everyone in your vehicle is wearing a seat belt
• Always follow traffic laws