By LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / Febuary 11, 1999

GARYVILLE – A LaPlace woman died and her 1-year-old daughter was listed in critical condition at River Parishes Hospital following an accident on Airline Highway Tuesday morning.

Billie J. Boudreaux, 26, 537 Fife St., was reported dead on arrival at thehospital, according to Louisiana State Trooper Christopher Maurin.

Hospital spokesman Sean Roussel added that her two passengers – her 1- year-old daughter, Chelsea, and a 4-year-old boy – were being prepared for transfer to Children’s Hospital in New Orleans.

The boy, whose identity was not released as of press time, sustained fairly minor cuts to the head and required stitches.

Maurin reported that at 7:45 a.m. Boudreaux’s Mazda Protg waswestbound on Airline Highway. He said the investigation leads him tobelieve a black car pulled out from the Garyville road onto westbound Airline Highway, causing Boudreaux to angle sharply across the U-shaped median. Her car went airborne and struck an eastbound Chevrolet Astrovanhead-on.

The driver of the van, still unidentified as of press time, sustained critical injuries and was airlifted by Acadian Ambulance’s AirMed helicopter to Thibodaux Medical Center. That female driver had a WestJefferson Parish address, according to officials at the scene.

Eyewitnesses Sammi Forsythe of Gramercy and Reese Saunders of Paulina each told police of the accident.

Forsythe said she saw the two vehicles “interlocked in the air and went tumbling.” Saunders, a medical student, attempted to assist the injuredand related the boy said, “I’m bleeding! Where’s my mommy? I want my mommy!” The boy was located at the floorboard of the Mazda. The girl wasapparently struck by a VCR in the vehicle as she was strapped into a child seat in the rear of the Mazda.

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