Louisiana Tragedy: Car Crashes into Deputy’s Vehicle, Woman Killed

A tragic situation unfolded on a Louisiana roadway Saturday morning as a deputy was responding to an emergency when another driver struck the vehicle. The crash took one life and resulted in severe injuries for the other.

Louisiana State Police Trooper Eddie Thomas with the Public Affairs Section of State Police says the situation played out at around 9:45 on the morning of Saturday, February 22, as the deputy was driving down Louisiana Highway 84.

Thomas says that Deputy Asia Spikes was in a vehicle clearly marked with the Red River Parish Sheriff's Office insignia. Spikes was driving in the westbound lane with her lights and sirens turned on.

According to Louisiana law 32:125, drivers must stop for emergency vehicles. The law states the following:

Upon the immediate approach of an authorized emergency vehicle making use of audible or visual signals, or of a police vehicle properly and lawfully making use of an audible signal only, the driver of every other vehicle shall yield the right-of-way and shall immediately drive to a position parallel to, and as close as possible to, the right-hand edge or curb of the highway clear of any intersection, and shall stop and remain in such position until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed, except when otherwise directed by a police officer.

As Spikes was traveling in the westbound lane, 70-year-old Ella Winn of Coushatta was in the eastbound lane. She did not yield to the deputy's vehicle but instead made a left turn, which caused her vehicle to crash into the deputy's vehicle.

Investigators are still working to determine why Winn traveled into the deputy's car. The collision ended up taking Winn's life, as her injuries were extensive. According to Thomas, she was not wearing a seat belt. She was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.

Thomas says that Spikes was wearing a seat belt, and she was severely injured. Spikes was taken to a hospital for treatment of her injuries.

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