Basic Facts
Crash date: April 9, 2026
Crash location: State Highway 27 near State Highway 397 north of Sulphur, LA
People involved:
- Erick John, 32
- Unidentified Chevrolet driver
- Unidentified Hyundai driver
- Unidentified Hyundai passengers
Do authorities suspect alcohol played a role in this crash? Yes
Did authorities recommend criminal charges? Yes
Do authorities suspect a product defect caused the crash? Unknown
Accident Report
Calcasieu Parish, LA — April 9, 2026, Erick John was killed and five other people were injured in a multi-car accident just before 6 a.m. on State Highway 27 north of Sulphur.
Authorities said a southbound 2022 Chevrolet Silverado collided with a northbound 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe and a 2000 Buick Park Avenue near State Highway 397.
Buick driver Erick John, 32, of Lake Charles was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, according to authorities.
The Hyundai driver and four passengers were hospitalized with unspecified injuries, authorities said. Their names have not been made public yet.
The Chevrolet driver, a Port Neches, TX resident, was arrested after showing signs of impairment, according to authorities. He was jailed on charges of vehicular homicide, five counts of vehicular negligent injury and driving while intoxicated, second offense.
Authorities have not released any additional information about the Calcasieu Parish crash at this time.
How Did This Accident Occur?
Police have arrested the Chevrolet driver for causing this crash while intoxicated, but that still has to be proven. Toxicology tests will prove, or disprove, officers’ suspicions about whether the pickup driver had been drinking before the crash, but I hope authorities still will conduct a thorough investigation of this crash.
The victim’s family and those who were injured in the Hyundai deserve to know as much as possible about how this crash happened.
Did you witness this accident? Let us know in the comments.
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