Three people lost their lives in an early morning crash at the major intersection of E. Broussard Rd. and Johnson Street in Lafayette Tuesday, according to Lafayette Police Sgt Robin Green.
“Vehicle 1, like I said, was traveling at a high rate of speed and struck vehicle 2, which caused that vehicle, in turn, to collide with another vehicle that was actually on Johnson Street,” Green explained.
Both the second and third vehicles were stopped at traffic lights preparing to turn. The driver of the first vehicle was killed along with a mother and daughter who were in the second vehicle. The driver of the third vehicle sustained moderate injuries.
Sgt Green says the driver of the first vehicle who died in the accident has been identified as 21-year-old Joseph Prejean of Lafayette.
“And then the two occupants that were in vehicle 2, which was the initial vehicle that he struck, which were a mother and daughter, they also died,” Green said.
The mother and daughter, both of Duson have been identified as 36-year-old Cherita Washington and 17-year-old Chase Washington. The driver of the third vehicle who also sustained injuries is listed as stable.
The crash occurred very early Tuesday morning, around 5:00 am. With the warm winter weather, early morning fog has decreased visibility on Louisiana roadways, but Sgt Green says fog was not a factor in this crash.
“Speed is the number one factor that caused this accident to occur,” Green noted.