L’Observateur / May 20, 1998

RESERVE – A 29-year-old man died early Monday in a head-on collision between a pickup truck and an 18-wheeler transporting Borden milk on Airline Highway near Marathon.

Jonathan P. Tate, 294 East 26th St., drove his blue 1984 GMC pickup acrossthe median into the eastbound lane at 2:35 a.m. near Ellen Street.Samuel F. Schoonmaker, 54, Prairieville, was traveling in the righteastbound lane when the two vehicles struck head-on, according to the report filed by Louisiana State Trooper David J. Flauss.Tate was thrown from the pickup and pronounced dead at the scene by St.

John Parish Deputy Coroner Dr. David St. Germaine. His body was finallyremoved at 4:30 a.m.Troop B spokesman Kevin Cannatella added that Schoonmaker received minor injuries, and was treated at River Parishes Hospital and released.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation, but no charges were contemplated, Cannatella said.

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