KJAS in Jasper report that two people have died and two others were injured in a two vehicle auto accident that occurred shortly after 2:00 Friday afternoon on Highway 96, just north of Jasper.
Those at the scene said that a Mercury Marquis sedan was traveling southbound when the driver apparently lost control on the rain soaked pavement in front of Jasper Outboard Sales and Service.
The car slid backwards into the northbound lane, where the rear of the vehicle was hit by the front of a northbound SUV. Two people were ejected from the car, one of which died at the scene.
Jasper Police carried a 2-year-old child in a patrol car to Jasper Memorial Hospital with an off-duty Beaumont firefighter onboard performing CPR. The child was pronounced dead a short time later at the hospital.
Traffic was completely shut down and for a limited time northbound traffic was rerouted by way of Old Highway 8 while traffic south was at a standstill.
Shortly after the first accident occurred it was reported that a large eighteen wheeled tractor trailer truck and another vehicle had gone off the road and into the median of the highway. No injuries were reported in that crash.
The names of the deceased and other details have not been released pending formal notification of next of kin and completion of the investigation.