KENTWOOD, La. – A 21-year-old man was killed this morning when his car left the road and slammed into a tree at a high rate of speed.
The collision occurred near the intersection of LA 1054 and North River Road around 4:45 a.m. on December 7, according to the Louisiana State Police.
Derek Jerel Martin was not wearing a seatbelt and was killed by the impact.
Martin was headed westbound in his 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier when the car left the road at a curve in the road and collided with a tree.
Speed is thought to have been a contributing factor, and blood samples have been sent to the lab for analysis, according to the LSP.
“Please take a moment to speak with your loved ones about the importance of their safe decisions,” Trooper Dustin Dwight said in a press release. “Remind them to always wear a seatbelt, never drive impaired, and to avoid distractions. The conversation could be the difference in a serious crash.”