By LEONARD GRAY

Managing Editor

CONVENT — Two St. James Parish residents died this week in separate auto accidents.

In the first Tuesday night, a Lutcher woman died in a collision with a garbage truck. Leanne Fluence, 38, and a 5-year-old girl were thrown from her 1999 Mitsubishi Sport after it was struck by a Browning-Ferris truck southbound on La. 3125. Fluence had backed out of a private driveway into the truck’s path at about 6:30 p.m. The child was hospitalized with serious injuries.

In the second on Wednesday night, Shane Oubre, 35, of Vacherie, was eastbound on Interstate 10, west of La. 641, at about 5:15 p.m., when he changed lanes and lost control of his 2002 Jaguar.

The car left the highway and struck two trees. Oubre had been wearing a seatbelt.