L’Observateur / October 7, 2000

LAPLACE – A recalled Firestone tire may be to blame in a one-car accident that left a LaPlace woman and her 6-year-old son were injured. The accidentoccurred Wednesday night on Interstate 10 in St. Charles Parish. The boy isat Ocshner Foundation Hospital in Metairie with severe head injuries.

According to the Louisiana State Police, Josephine Maxent, 46, 2420 S. Sugar Ridge, LaPlace, and her son, Jaylen, were traveling west on I-10 in the left lane when the tread on one of her rear tires came off at milepost 218.9,causing her to lose control of her 1994 Ford Explorer.

The SUV struck the left guardrail and then rolled over on to the shoulder, landing on the driver’s side. Jaylen, who was in the rear seat and did not havea seat belt on, was ejected from the car in the process.

Both mother and son were rushed to River Parishes Hospital. Because ofJaylen’s head injuries, he was take to Ocshner Hospital. Maxent was treatedand released.

Amy Goforth, spokesperson for Ocshner, said Jaylen is in stable condition.

The State Police confirmed the tire that lost its tread was a Firestone tire.

Officers at the scene said the tire was still inflated but had no tread on it.

Lt. Kevin Cannatella, spokesman for the state police, stressed that the tire’sfailure was not the reason the boy was injured.

“The child was hurt because he was not belted in,” said Cannatella.

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