Livingston Parish, LA (May 29, 2026) – A crash that happened on Wednesday evening, May 27, around 5 p.m claimed the life of a 55-year-old woman. The crash involved two vehicles on LA 444 at Dutch Lane in French Settlement.
Louisiana State Police said Sophia Stutts was driving a 2004 Pontiac Sunfire southbound on LA 444 when she slowed and attempted to turn left into a private driveway. While her vehicle was stopped in the roadway, a 2018 Dodge Ram traveling in the same direction struck the rear of the Pontiac.
Stutts was taken to a hospital with serious injuries and later died. A front-seat passenger in the Pontiac and the truck driver were also taken to a hospital with minor injuries. Officials confirmed everyone involved was wearing a seat belt.
The review into the sequence of events leading to the fatal crash remains ongoing. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family of Sophia Stutts.
How Rear-End Crashes During Turning Movements Can Happen
Rear-end collisions during left turns frequently occur when one vehicle slows or stops in the roadway to complete a turn while another vehicle approaches from behind. Drivers may not always anticipate speed changes or may be distracted in traffic.
On rural and parish roads, visibility and reaction time can be affected by road design, lighting, and speed limits. When a vehicle is stopped mid-lane waiting to turn, even a brief delay in braking by the following driver can lead to a serious impact.
Seat belts can reduce injury severity in multi-occupant vehicles, but the force of rear-end collisions can still cause significant harm. Investigators often analyze braking distance, roadway markings, and vehicle positions to reconstruct the sequence of travel.
