Maurice, La (KADN)- There's growing fallout in the wake of a deadly traffic crash in Vermilion Parish. That crash along Highway 167 near Maurice claimed the lives of two people and left three others hospitalized in critical condition.
It comes a year after another deadly crash last January on that same stretch of highway.
It has renewed calls for officials to take action as advocates say highway 167 has a dangerous history of fatalities that continues to leave families mourning.
On this highway, at night Caleb Reese tells NEWS15 the ability to see is extremely difficult.
He says this highway has taken so many innocent lives due to wrong way or impaired drivers, and lights should be a priority. "It's heartbreaking to see yet another young individual's life taken."
The deadly two-vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 167 near Lawrence Road in Vermilion Parish claimed the life of 22-year-old Matthew Wayne Landry of Lafayette and 36-year-old Jasper Foster of Maurice.
"If we don't take this seriously and address it and try to find solutions. We can expect the same thing to keep happening," expressed Reese.
Reese gets chills anytime he hears about a fatal crash on 167, losing friend Ramsie Baumgardner to a wrong-way drunk driving incident on the same highway a year ago.
Since he's been pushing for lights to be installed. "That highway is dark. There are a lot of different j-turns and different medians that you can cross over to. Lights are going to be a major stepping stone to make the highway safer."
Those in the community spoke to the Vermilion Parish Police Jury in February to discuss adding lights.
However, no actions have been taken even though suggestions were made.
"The wrong way detection systems. They said it was one of the most low-cost efforts that we could do to improve the safety of 167. I think it is something they are trying to avoid and I'm not sure why," says Reese.
As memorials line the highway 167, Reese calls for state and local officials to take action so another life won't be lost. "If we aren't taking steps to better and make this highway safer then there is nothing stopping me from being killed. There's nothing stopping anybody. Because at this rate it's well over one per year."
