UPDATE — On Wednesday afternoon, the St. Tammany Parish Coroner’s Office released the names of the two teenagers who were killed earlier in the day in a car crash.
According to the coroner’s office, Chloe Shartle of Covington and Makayla Bonura of Madisonville, both 16-years-old, died from blunt force trauma due to the car crash.
MADISONVILLE, La. (WGNO) — Early Wednesday morning, the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office began investigating a fatal single-vehicle car crash.
Deputies say the accident happened shortly after midnight, on Guste Island Road.
Members of the STPSO Traffic Division believe the 2019 white Honda Civic was traveling southbound at a high rate of speed when it ran off the roadway, impacting two trees, a utility box, and two signs.
Initial reports show the vehicle was occupied by four 16-year-old females. Detectives say two of the passengers were declared deceased on the scene.
Another passenger and the girl believed to be driving at the time of the crash were transported to a local hospital with injures. The extent of the injuries are currently unknown.
“My heartfelt prayers go out to all of the families involved,” Sheriff Randy Smith said. “While it is always a tragedy when young lives are lost, it is especially challenging to have something like this happen in our community just days away from the start of the new school year. My thoughts are also with the friends of these girls as they return to class mourning two of their classmates.”
St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s deputies say the cause of this crash is still under investigation.
WGNO will provide updates as they become available.
Anyone with information on this accident is asked to call Captain Lance Vitter at 985-809-8225 or by email at lancevitter@stpso.com.