OUACHITA PARISH, LA. (KLTV) - Five people from Terrell were killed and three others were injured in a crash Wednesday night in Ouachita Parish in Louisiana.
Eight people were in the car at the time of the wreck and six were ejected from the vehicle. The group was traveling from Texas to Walt Disney World in Florida for a family vacation.
Louisiana State Police responded at 10:46 p.m. to a single-vehicle wreck on Interstate 20, west of Calhoun. Police say the family was traveling eastbound on Interstate 20 in a 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe, near the Highway 80 exit, when it veered into the median. The driver, a 16-year-old, overcorrected and the vehicle rolled over.
As the vehicle rolled, six of the eight occupants were ejected. Five passengers were pronounced dead at the scene by Ouachita Parish Coroner's Office.
Trudi Hardman, a kindergarten teacher at Wills Point ISD, and her husband Michael Hardman, a second-grade teacher at Terrell ISD, were killed in the crash. Michael Hardman was also a a former teacher at Wills Point. Three of their children, ages 4, 7 and 15 were also killed in the wreck. One of the students was a Wills Point High School sophomore and another was an intermediate school student.
The driver, a junior at Wills Point ISD, and the two remaining passengers were taken to a hospital with minor to moderate injuries. None of the ejected passengers were wearing a seatbelt.
Van Zandt County Fire Marshal/Emergency Management says the children and their parents were active in the school and in the Wills Point Baseball Association.
The Wills Point ISD superintendent and athletic director are headed to Louisiana to be with the family. The high school principal said there will be a memorial after Thanksgiving.
Wills Point ISD released this statement in response to the crash:
"Words cannot express the sadness in our hearts today. The Hardman family was in a serious accident in Louisiana last night. 5 family members were lost in the accident and 3 survived. Mrs. Hardman was a Kindergarten teacher at our Primary. Please keep the family and their friends in your thoughts and prayers. The impact of the tragedy is far reaching and has effected each campus. Also, keep the family of Jami Johnson, another teacher, in your prayers as this has also impacted her family as well with the loss of one son and two others injured. Counselors are available on each campus for students and staff."
Troopers believe the driver may have fallen asleep prior to the crash and impairment is not suspected as a cause of the wreck. The crash remains under investigation. The LSP released a statement following the crash, cautioning drivers to buckle up.
"Our heartfelt condolences go out to all of the people affected by this tragic crash," said Colonel Mike Edmonson, Lousiana State Police superintendent. "Crashes like this one don't just affect the people involved. They affect family members, friends, troopers, first responders and the community at large. In an instance, this family vacation turned into an unspeakable tragedy. I cannot stress enough the importance of wearing a seatbelt anytime you are in a vehicle."
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I hope the 16 year old can overcome this.
Originally Posted by bowieluva
