By Leonard Gray / L’Observateur / February 21, 1998

LAPLACE – A pickup truck slammed into the rear of a dump truck early Thursday morning, killing a Tickfaw man at the scene.

According to Louisiana State Trooper Sgt. Reuben O. Berry Jr., a T.L. James and Co. dump truck, driven by Ovide James Chenier Jr., 48, 232 Paula Drive,LaPlace, was westbound on Interstate 10 near the truck scales between the two LaPlace interchanges.

The dump truck had just left the scales at 6:05 a.m. enroute to Geismar and was accelerating into the inside westbound lane when it was struck from behind by the Ford F-250 pickup, Berry said at the scene.

The driver of the pickup, later identified by State Police spokesman Kevin Cannatella as George L. Annina, 42, 14167 Beagle Bend, Tickfaw, was ejected from the rear window of the shattered truck cab.

Lt. Rick Hylander of the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office said a witnessreported the pickup as having passed him at a high rate of speed just before the impact.

Chenier told investigators he was traveling at 55 mph and accelerating when he felt his vehicle dip to the front. His truck then began to spin andcame to a stop in the median.

He got out to inspect his dump truck when he discovered the pickup wedged into his truck’s rear.

Chenier pulled the pickup driver away from the wreck as a small fire erupted on the pickup’s engine, Hylander continued.

Chenier put out the fire with his extinguisher.

Annina was pronounced dead at the scene by St. John Parish Coroner Dr.Christy Montegut at 7:28 a.m.No charges were filed against Chenier as of press time. However, theaccident remains under investigation, according to Cannatella.

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