A two-vehicle crash killed a man from Dodson, Louisiana on Saturday. He was not wearing a seat belt, and two other unrestrained passengers were injured in the crash.

Troopers responded to the crash around 2:50 p.m. on Highway 496, west of Robinson Road. The crash involved a pickup truck driven by Alex Ekermeyer, 26, of Alexandria, and another pickup truck driven by Jessie Doughty, 42, of Dodson.

Ekermeyer was heading westbound when he lost control and crossed the centerline into the opposite lane. He then collided head-on with Doughty who was in the eastbound lane.

Ekermeyer and Doughty were not wearing their seat belts and both received moderate injuries. They were transported to Rapides Regional Trauma Center for treatment. Doughty’s only passenger, Wayne Pray, 73, was pronounced dead. Routine toxicology tests and charges are pending. The crash remains under investigation.

Louisiana State Police would like to take this opportunity to remind motorists that properly wearing your seat belt will dramatically reduce your chance of being injured or killed in a crash. LSP asks you to take one second to “buckle up!” Louisiana law requires that every person in a vehicle, regardless of seating position, always remain buckled up. Not wearing a seat belt remains the leading cause of death in motor vehicle crashes.

Although the exact cause of the crash remains under investigation, Troopers would like to remind the public of the following: inattentive and distracted driving is dangerous and is a leading cause of crashes in our state. It is important for motorists to pay attention to what is going on outside of the vehicle they are driving.

More information on distracted driving may be found online at the federal government’s official distracted driving website, www.distraction.gov.

Troop E Troopers have investigated seven fatal crashes in 2019, resulting in eight fatalities.