On November 15, shortly after 10:00 p.m., Louisiana State Police Troop E responded to a single-vehicle crash on Louisiana Highway 496 near Alexandria. This crash claimed the life of Brian Thiels Jr., 25, of Boyce.
High speed is a suspected factor in this crash. The initial investigation revealed a 2014 BMW passenger car, driven by Thiels, was traveling eastbound on Louisiana Highway 496. For reasons still under investigation, Thiels lost control of his vehicle, exited the roadway, struck a culvert and a utility pole. As a result, Thiels’ vehicle overturned several times before coming to rest.
Thiels, who was restrained, sustained life-threatening injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. A toxicology sample was obtained and submitted for analysis. This crash remains under investigation.
Louisiana State Troopers wish to remind motorists to obey all speed limit signs and avoid all distractions. Speeding reduces a driver’s ability to steer safely around curves or objects in the roadway, extends the distance necessary to stop a vehicle, and increases the distance a vehicle travels while the driver reacts to a situation. Speeding and other aggressive driving behaviors are among the leading causes of highway crashes and fatalities.
In 2020, Troop E Troopers have investigated 44 fatal crashes resulting in 52 fatalities.
