DeSoto Parish, LA – Man Seriously Injured in Hit-and-Run on I-49, Suspect Arrested
DeSoto Parish, LA (September 16, 2021) – One man is seriously injured and another was placed under arrest after an alleged hit and run accident on Tuesday, September 14th in DeSoto Parish.
An official from the Louisiana State Police said that a 2008 GMC pick-up truck being driven by 85-year-old Ed Thorn, a resident of Terrell, Texas., was driving southbound on Interstate 49 in the area of Highway 175 while multiple workers and wreckers were on the shoulder assisting a disabled commercial vehicle.
Police said Thorn struck one of the pedestrians who was an employee of a local wrecker service.
The pedestrian sustained serious injuries and was transported by paramedics to a nearby hospital.
After Thorn hit the worker, he kept driving without stopping to render aid or notify police. He was found a short time later by the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office on I-49, north of Posey Road.
He was arrested and charged with a felony hit-and-run.
Our thoughts are with the injured victim and their family at this time. We hope for their full recovery.
Pedestrian Injuries in DeSoto Parish
Several thousand victims are injured annually in car accidents across the state. While the majority of crash victims are inside vehicles, thousands of them are on foot. Unlike vehicle occupants, pedestrians are especially vulnerable to sustaining serious injuries in accidents. Unlike a car or truck, pedestrians are not afforded the protection of roll cages, airbags, and steel frames.
Injuries and fatalities are very commonplace amongst passengers and drivers. Pedestrians, however, are even more vulnerable to reckless drivers than any vehicle occupant. Close to 70,000 pedestrians sustain some degree of injury during car accidents every year. Additionally, about 5,000 pedestrians die in car accidents each year due to the heightened risk they are exposed to during times of fog, heavy rain, and other kinds of inclement weather.
According to crash data, about 80% of accidents are the direct result of driver negligence. When drivers are distracted, impaired, or engaging in negligent behaviors, the potential for life-altering consequences to those around them is exponential.
DeSoto Parish Pedestrian Accident Attorneys
Most pedestrian accidents are avoidable but we continue to see the devastating consequences that victims and their families are forced to face. When pedestrians are killed in accidents, due to the negligent or reckless actions of motorists, it is important that their families reach out to a knowledgeable pedestrian accident attorney in DeSoto Parish as soon as possible. In some cases, families are able to file legal claims against at-fault drivers in order to recover full and fair compensation to help alleviate the financial burdens they face moving forward.
At Smiley Law Firm, our team endeavors to help our clients defend their legal rights and best interests after losing loved ones in accidents. Our skilled and reputable DeSoto Parish pedestrian accident attorneys have decades of experience helping bereaved families get the justice they deserve for their loved ones.
We care about our clients and work hard to help them achieve the best possible outcome for their legal claims so they can get the compensation they need for funeral expenses, burial costs, and more. If you have lost a loved one in a pedestrian accident due to the negligence of another driver, contact our personal injury attorneys in DeSoto Parish at your earliest convenience. By calling our team at 504-688-3494 or 504-822-2222, we can schedule a free case evaluation at your earliest convenience to explore the legal options available to you.
Note: These posts are constructed with the use of secondary sources. These sources include but are not limited to local and state news stories, local and state police accident reports, social media platforms, and eyewitness accounts about injury accidents that take place in New Orleans and throughout Louisiana. We did not independently verify the fact surrounding this accident. If you locate any information that is inaccurate, please contact our firm and we will correct the post to reflect the most accurate information available. We will also remove this post upon request.
Disclaimer: These posts are created to raise awareness about the dangers of driving in Louisiana. We hope that by casting light on serious accidents like this one, other drivers will take heed, and avoid being seriously injured in a similar accident. This post is not a solicitation for business. The information contained in this post is not intended to be legal or medical advice. The photo used in this post was not taken at the accident scene.
