Vermilion Parish – Shortly after 11 p.m. on July 4, 2021, Troopers from Louisiana State Police Troop I were notified of a single-vehicle fatal crash on Louisiana Highway 82 near Ranch Road in Vermilion Parish. The crash took the life of 36-year-old Kelly B. Desormeaux of Prairieville.

The initial investigation by State Police revealed that the crash occurred as Desormeaux was driving east on LA 82 in a 2007 Honda Accord. For unknown reasons, Desormeaux’s vehicle ran off the roadway to the left. After leaving the roadway, the Accord entered a ditch and overturned several times causing Desormeaux to be ejected from the vehicle.

Desormeaux was unrestrained at the time of the crash. She was pronounced dead at the scene by the Vermilion Parish Coroner’s Office. Impairment is unknown but a standard toxicology sample was obtained for analysis. This crash remains under investigation.

Louisiana State Troopers wish to remind motorists that, while not all crashes are survivable, statistics show that the chances of surviving a crash rise significantly when properly restrained. Making good choices while in motor vehicles such as never driving while impaired and always ensuring every occupant is properly restrained can often mean the difference between life and death.

Troop I has investigated 29 fatal crashes resulting in 36 deaths in 2021.