Two motorists were tragically killed Thursday morning, when an 18-wheeler rear-ended another vehicle, causing a five-vehicle pileup along Interstate 10 in Lafayette, Louisiana.
18-Wheeler Crashed Into Dodge Pickup Truck at I-10 Construction Zone, Sending Ford Escape Crashing into a Second 18-Wheeler that Then Collided with a Third 18-Wheeler
The January 24th crash occurred shortly after 1:00 a.m., in an active construction zone near Louisiana Avenue.
According to the Louisiana State Police, an eastbound 2010 Freightliner driven by William Rawlings, 67, of Killeen, Texas, failed to slow down before entering the congested area. As a result, the rig rear-ended a 2015 Dodge Ram pickup driven by Kenneth McNeil, 45, of Houston, Texas.
The impact caused McNeil’s pickup to strike a Ford Escape driven by Geri Glasco, 24, of Arnaudville, Louisiana. Glasco’s vehicle was forced into a second 18-wheeler, which caused the truck to collide with a third semi-truck another semi-truck.
One of the Victims Identified as Beloved UL-Lafayette Volunteer Softball Coach
All three truckers escaped the crash without injury. Sadly, however, Glasco and McNeil sustained fatal injuries and were pronounced dead at the scene.
Geri Glasco was a beloved volunteer coach for the University of Louisiana – Lafayette softball team. She began volunteering in October, following a stint as an assistant softball coach with the University of Oregon Ducks.
“We all loved Geri Ann and the spirit she brought to the Ragin’ Cajuns family while positively impacting our student-athletes,” UL Director of Athletics Bryan Maggard said in a statement issued on Thursday. “We are praying for the Glasco family during this remarkably difficult time.”
In 2013, Glasco was named SEC Co-Freshman of the Year while playing for the University of Georgia Bulldogs softball team. She would go on to earn first-team all-region honors after transferring to Oregon.
18-Wheeler Crash Remains Under Investigation by Louisiana State Troopers
Louisiana State Troopers continue to investigate Thursday’s fatal chain-reaction crash to determine, among other things, whether William Rawlings was fatigued or distracted when he failed to apply the brakes and slammed into the back of the 2015 Dodge Ram.
Mr. Rawlings was administered (and passed) a breathalyzer test at the scene.
Although Rawlings has not been charged, police indicated that could change depending on the outcome of the ongoing investigation.
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Our thoughts and prayers are with Glasco’s and McNeil’s families and the others who were injured in this horrific, and seemingly preventable, tragedy.