By KERI CHAMPION

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE- A serious accident involving an 18-wheeler and a pickup truck sent one man to River Parishes Hospital on Wednesday where he died from his injuries.

Sadao Breech, 47, of LaPlace was killed in the crash. He was driving a white 1996 Ford Ranger when he hit the side of the 18-wheeler.

A witness to the accident stated that the Ford Ranger was going north bound on Hwy. 51 in LaPlace and began crossing over to the center turning lane.

&#8220I thought it was weird because there is nowhere to turn to on the other side of the road,” the witness said. &#8220The driver didn’t look like he was alert or paying attention at all, he just kept creeping into the center lane until he hit the 18-wheeler.”

McKinley Day of the Louisiana State Police, the officer investigating the accident said, &#8220It appears the driver of the Ranger may have fallen asleep at the wheel. The Ranger was going northbound on 51 and entered the center lane where it then struck the southbound 18-wheeler.”

The driver side of the Ranger was badly mangled in the crash and debris was scattered on the roadway.

There were two passengers in the 18-wheeler and neither was injured but the back of the vehicle was damaged. The driver of the 18-wheeler was somber about the wreck.

&#8220It’s hard. He didn’t make it and now I was part of his life,” he said.

Day is continuing his investigation and toxicology reports on Breech are pending. Driver impairment was not a factor in the case of the driver of the 18-wheeler.