Garyville – Shortly after 8 p.m. Saturday evening, a 54-year-old Gramercy man was killed after his vehicle left the roadway and struck a utility pole.

The investigation revealed that a 2004 GMC pickup was traveling west on Louisiana Highway 44 near Louisiana Highway 3179.  The pickup was being driven by Michael Cantillo of Gramercy. For unknown reasons, the pickup traveled off the right side of the road and entered a drainage ditch. The vehicle struck a culvert, went airborne and then struck a utility pole before coming to rest upside down in the roadway.  

Cantillo, who was not wearing a seat belt, was pronounced dead on scene by the St. John the Baptist Parish Coroner’s Office.

Alcohol use is unknown at this time and routine toxicology tests are pending. The crash remains under investigation.     

Troopers remind motorists of the dangers of impaired driving. While there have been fewer deaths associated with impaired driving in recent years, there is still much room for improvement.

While not all crashes are survivable, proper use of seat belts can greatly decrease an occupant’s chance of death and may greatly reduce the extent of injury.  

Motorists that witness hazardous situations are urged to call *LSP (*577) and report that activity to the Louisiana State Police.