L’Observateur / October 2, 1999

ST. ROSE – The victim of the Sept. 24 fatality accident on westboundInterstate 10 has been identified as a 34-year-old New Orleans salesman.

James Lawrence Fortenberry, a native of Parma, Ohio, and a resident of New Orleans for 20 years, died that evening after the 1998 Buick he was driving became totally engulfed in flame.

Cause of the accident remains under investigation.

According to his published obituary, he was the husband of Dr. StephaniePhillips and father of Phoebe Rose and Avery Erin Fortenberry. He was alsothe son of James and Beverly Fortenberry.

He was a national accounts sales manager with C&R Bard Medical & Surgical Sales and earlier worked as an accounts representative for Xerox Corp., where he earned the President’s Club award, and he was the topsales representative in the nation in 1998 for Bard Medical.

Memorial services were held Sept. 30.Louisiana State Troop B spokesman Kevin Cannatella reported that the 1998 Buick was seen with fire coming from under the rear end of the vehicle. After traveling some seven miles along I-10, the car struck theleft wall, then came to a halt against the right-hand wall, just across the parish line in St. Charles Parish at 7:24 p.m.According to investigating Trooper Chris Maurin, witnesses attempted to rescue the driver but were forced back by the heat.

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