On Sunday, September 1, 2024, shortly before 6:00 a.m., Troopers with Louisiana State Police Troop F began investigating a single-vehicle fatal crash on U.S. Hwy 80 east of LA Hwy 601-2. The crash claimed the lives of 20-year-old Kayden Acuff of Tallulah and 21-year-old Jamicha Lovings-Smith of Vicksburg, MS.
The preliminary investigation revealed that Acuff was driving west on U.S. Hwy 80 in a 2015 Nissan Altima. For reasons still under investigation, the Nissan ran off the right side of the road. Acuff attempted to regain control of the Nissan by steering to the left but overcorrected. As a result, the vehicle crossed the west and eastbound lanes of U.S. Hwy 80 and struck a tree on the eastbound shoulder.
Acuff, who was unrestrained, suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene. Lovings-Smith, who was the front seat passenger and unrestrained, also suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene. Impairment is a suspected factor in this crash. Routine toxicology samples were collected and will be submitted for analysis. This crash remains under investigation.
Nearly half of the fatal crashes in Louisiana are caused by impaired drivers. Alcohol and other drugs affect your visual ability, fine motor skills, and reaction times. Drivers should have a plan for a safe ride home before consuming any alcohol and/or drugs because if you feel different, you drive different.
Additionally, taking just three seconds to buckle up can greatly increase your chances of surviving a crash. It is important for drivers to make sure that both themselves and their passengers are safely secured in every seat, whether it be day or night.
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