VERMILION PARISH, La. — Two men died Friday night in a single-vehicle crash on Louisiana Highway 14 near Fore Road, authorities confirmed.
According to Louisiana State Police Troop I, the crash occurred shortly after 11 p.m. when the westbound vehicle, driven by 69-year-old Brian Mayard of Abbeville, left the roadway. Guy McNeil, 45, of Youngsville, was a passenger in the vehicle.
Investigators report that Mayard was traveling at a high rate of speed when, for reasons still under investigation, the vehicle veered off the road, entered a ditch, struck a culvert, and subsequently overturned. Neither occupant was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.
Both Mayard and McNeil sustained fatal injuries and were pronounced dead at the scene.
A standard toxicology sample was collected and submitted for analysis as the investigation continues.
State troopers reminded motorists to make safe decisions while driving, emphasizing the importance of never driving impaired, fatigued, or distracted. Louisiana law requires that all vehicle occupants remain properly buckled at all times, regardless of seating position. While not all crashes are survivable, these precautions can greatly reduce the risk of severe injury or death.