Lake Arthur man dies in multi-vehicle crash in Kaplan

Kaplan, LA (KPLC) - A Lake Arthur man was killed in a multi-vehicle crash along Hwy 14 in Kaplan, according to Louisiana State Police Troop I.

Trooper Thomas Gossen says the crash happened around 2:30 p.m. along Hwy 14 near W. Pirates Lane on Oct. 6, 2022.

When troopers arrived to investigate the crash, they found that a farm had been burning field edges near the highway which was creating smoke that could have obscured the driver’s vision. They believe this may have played a part in three crashes that occurred within a short period of time in that area.

The third crash involving Erin Mathew LaPoint, 26, appeared to be the result of a road blockage caused by the first two crashes.

Investigators say LaPoint was traveling west along Hwy 14 in a Ford Mustang when he rear-ended a delivery tanker that had stopped due to the road blockage. LaPoint was then rear-ended by a pickup truck being driven by Skyler Abshire of Gueydan, crushing the Mustang between the two vehicles.

Authorities say LaPoint was not wearing his seatbelt at the time of the crash and suffered fatal injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene by the Vermilion Parish Coroner’s Office.

The driver of the delivery tanker was not injured and neither was Abshire despite also not wearing a seatbelt.

Louisiana State Police say a toxicology test showed that neither Abshire nor the delivery tanker driver were impaired at the time of the crash.

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