AMITE, LA – A police cruiser escorting a funeral procession slammed into a pickup truck pulling out of a driveway, killing the car’s occupant and injuring the officer, according to State Police.
The incident occurred Saturday afternoon around 2:20 pm on LA 16 about one mile from I-55 in Tangipahoa Parish.
According to State Police Troop L spokesman Nick Manale, officer Brandon Alford was escorting the funeral procession eastbound on LA 16 in a fully-marked cruiser when a Dodge pickup truck driven by 76-year-old Ira Vaughn entered LA 16 from a private drive without yielding.
When the pickup entered the roadway it was struck by Alford’s cruiser. Vaughn, who was not wearing a seatbelt, according to Manale, was ejected from his truck. He was taken to North Oaks Medical Center where he later died.
Alford was also taken to North Oaks with moderate injuries. Manale said Alford was wearing his seatbelt.
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