Louisiana State Police Troop G troopers responded to a single-vehicle crash on Highway 177 near Highway 510 on Jan. 26 around 4 pm. The crash claimed the life of 46-year-old John Hordge of Dallas.

The preliminary investigation revealed that a 2014 Ford F-150, driven by Hordge, was traveling south on Highway 177. For reasons still under investigation, Hordge’s vehicle exited the roadway, collided with a guardrail, entered a nearby creek, and overturned. Hordge, who was unrestrained at the time of the crash, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene. Impairment is not suspected; however, routine toxicology samples were collected and submitted for analysis. This crash remains under investigation.

While not all crashes are survivable, statistics show that properly wearing your seat belt will dramatically reduce your chance of being severely injured or killed in a crash. Louisiana law requires that every person in a vehicle, regardless of seating position, always remain buckled up. Properly wearing your seat belt is one of the most effective ways to save your life and reduce injuries during crashes.