Palmetto, Louisiana Woman Killed in a Crash near Melville in St. Landry Parish

A crash near Melville in St. Landry Parish led to the death of a Palmetto woman and two juveniles were also injured.

The tragedy unfolded on Louisiana Highway 105 near Rachell Road which is just south of Melville in St. Landry Parish.

Louisiana State Police Troop I Spokesman Trooper Thomas Gossen says investigators say that a pickup truck driven by 59-year-old Shane P. Hebert crossed the center line of the roadway and slammed into 43-year-old Kristi N. McAnally's vehicle.

Gossen says this investigation does continue, and they do expect that charged will be filed in this crash case.

Because of the crash, St. Landry Parish Coroner Dr. Zeb Stearns prounounced the woman dead at the scene. The woman was wearing a seat belt, but did die at the scene. Her passengers were also wearing seat belts, and they only received minor to moderate injuries.

Hebert was not wearing a seat belt. The man was taken to the hospital according to Gossen, and he is being treated for moderate injuries due to the crash.

Gossen says troopers are still investigating why Hebert's truck crossed the centerline of the roadway. When he crossed the center line, his truck impacted McAnally's vehicle in the northbound lanes leading to the tragedy according to their initial investigaiton.

As is standard in fatal crashes, routine toxicology tests will be run on both Hebert and McAnally. Those samples will be sent to a state lab for analysis.

There have fourteen deaths due to twelve fatal crash since the beginning of 2023.