A single-vehicle crash claimed the life of an unrestrained Pitkin man on Thursday morning.
On February 14, Louisiana State Police Troop D responded to a single-vehicle crash around 9:45 a.m. on Tom Jeff Road, east of Arkadelphia Road in Allen Parish. The crash claimed the life of Shannon L. Martin, 41, of Pitkin.
The preliminary investigation revealed Martin was driving a 2002 Dodge pickup truck and traveling west on Tom Jeff Road. For reasons still under investigation, Martin’s vehicle ran off the left side of the roadway and struck the embankment of a ditch. After striking the embankment, the vehicle rolled over and ejected Martin before landing on top of him.
Martin, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was pronounced dead at the scene by the Allen Parish Coroner’s Office.
A toxicology sample was obtained and will be submitted for analysis. The crash remains under investigation.
Louisiana state law requires vehicle occupants to be properly restrained in all seating positions, day or night. Statistics show the chances of surviving a crash rise significantly when properly restrained but the decision not to wear a seat belt can have deadly consequences. Motorists are encouraged to make the smart choice and to always wear a seat belt.
Troop D has investigated 1 fatal crash resulting in 1 death in 2019.
https://www.kalb.com/content/news/Unrestrained-Pitkin-man-dies-in-rollover-crash-505852411.html