Avoyelles Parish – On September 13, 2022, at approximately 4:00 p.m., Louisiana State Police Troop E responded to a two-vehicle crash on Louisiana Highway 1 north of Marksville. The crash claimed the life of 65-year-old Aaron Hebert of Church Point.

The initial investigation revealed that a 1997 Dodge Ram, driven by 22-year-old Jeffery Gagnard of Marksville, was southbound on Louisiana Highway 1. For reasons still under investigation, Gagnard attempted to turn left into a private drive. This action placed the Dodge Ram in the direct travel path of a northbound 2014 Harley Davidson, driven by Hebert, which resulted in a collision.

As a result of the crash, Hebert sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased on the scene. Gagnard, who was unrestrained, sustained minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital. Impairment is a suspected factor in this crash. A toxicology sample was obtained and submitted for analysis. This crash remains under investigation.

Louisiana State Police would like to remind all motorists that if you feel differently, you drive differently. Alcohol, prescription drugs, and other drugs have many effects on the body that negatively affect driving skills. These drugs can impair visual ability, alter the sense of time and space, impair fine motor skills needed to operate a motor vehicle, and decrease reaction times. Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead and designate a sober driver. Not doing so can have deadly consequences.

In 2022, Troop E Troopers have investigated 33 fatal crashes, resulting in 35 fatalities.