By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – Authorities with Louisiana State Police said this week investigators have determined the make and model of a vehicle that struck and killed a pedestrian on Airline Highway in Reserve last week.

Melissa Matey, a spokeswoman for State Police Troop B, said investigators identified a dark-colored 1994 to 1998 Ford Mustang as the vehicle that fatally injured 36-year-old Dione Duhe of Reserve as she tried to cross the street on Oct. 14.

Investigators initially thought the vehicle involved in the accident was a light-colored pickup truck, but Matey said evidence found at the scene and surveillance video from a nearby store led authorities to conclude the vehicle in question was a Mustang.

“Our investigators recovered fragments from the vehicle’s left front bumper and blinker light,” Matey said. “The fragments were matched to those on the Mustang model.”

A State Police report on the accident said Duhe was struck and killed as she tried to cross Airline near the intersection at Belle Point Boulevard around 5:45 a.m. Duhe had arrived early to a medical appointment and was crossing the street to a nearby store to purchase a drink and a newspaper.

Witnesses on the scene said Duhe stepped right into the path of the vehicle, which was traveling westbound on Airline Highway. The driver, who has not been identified, struck Duhe near the intersection and continued traveling west. According to the accident report, witnesses said the driver never stopped.

Matey said anyone who may have information on the vehicle or the driver is asked to contact Trooper David Easley at Troop B at 504-471-2775.