Published: May 23, 2009 07:04 pm      

2 killed in I-59 crash in St. Tammany Parish

ST. TAMMANY, Parish — Homer Phillips, 74, of Carriere was killed Friday evening in a three-vehicle accident on Interstate 59 in St. Tammany Parish, La.

Also killed in the accident was James M. Chapman, 28, of Atlanta, Ga.

The accident occurred when Phillips, traveling north in the left-hand south bound lane of I-59 in a 1993 Ford pickup first struck a 2007 Ford pickup traveling south in the same lane, and careened off that truck and struck a 2005 Nissan Altima.

The 2007 pickup was being driven by Keith G. Stewart, 27, of Peachtree, Ga., with Chapman as his passenger. Stewart traveled into the median following the impact and came to a stop. Stewart, who was wearing his seat belt, was taken to Slidell (La.) Memorial Hospital for treatment of his injuries. Chapman, who was not wearing a seat belt, was pronounced dead by Vincent Giodano of the St. Tammany Parish Coroner’s Office.

After striking the pickup driven by Stewart, Phillips continued traveling north in the southbound lands of I-59 and struck the Altima driven by Tanya M. Dugas, 33, of Birmingham, Ala. Dugas traveled onto the grass median and stopped. Dugas, who was wearing her seat belt, was not injured.

Phillips truck went onto the shoulder of the southbound lanes of I-59 and overturned. Phillips, who was not wearing a seat belt, was pronounced dead of his injuries at the scene by Giodano.

Alcohol use was not suspected on the part of any of the drivers, but blood was taken from Phillips and submitted for analysis.