A three-vehicle crash involving two semi-trucks claimed the life of a Port Allen woman on LA 37 near Sandy Creek Community Road in East Baton Rouge Parish.
According to Louisiana State Police, the crash occurred shortly before noon on April 14. Investigators say 42-year-old Chiquita Rogers was driving a 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt northbound on LA 37 and had stopped to make a left turn. A 2021 Freightliner tractor-trailer, traveling behind her in the same lane, allegedly struck the rear of her vehicle. The impact pushed the Cobalt into the southbound lane, where it was hit a second time—this time on the right side—by a 2020 Mack tractor-trailer. Rogers was seriously injured and later died at the hospital. Both truck drivers were reportedly uninjured.
When I hear about a fatal crash where a semi-truck rear-ends a stopped vehicle, I often have questions about the truck driver’s awareness and whether the truck itself was capable of stopping in time.
Could Driver Inattention or Following Distance Have Been a Factor?
A commercial truck striking a stopped vehicle from behind usually raises immediate concerns about attentiveness and following distance. Drivers of heavy trucks are trained to leave additional space in case the vehicle ahead slows or stops. Investigators will need to examine whether the Freightliner’s driver was distracted, speeding, or simply following too closely to react in time. That review may include hours-of-service logs, GPS records, and in-cab video to determine what the driver saw.
Could Mechanical Issues Have Prevented the Truck From Stopping?
Another angle worth exploring is whether a mechanical issue played a role. A failure in the truck’s braking system, worn tires, or delayed throttle response could reduce the driver’s ability to stop, even if they reacted appropriately. Investigators should examine the Freightliner’s maintenance history and conduct a full inspection of its safety systems to determine whether anything was out of spec or overdue for repair.
It’s also important to verify whether the truck was carrying a load that could have affected stopping distance. A heavy or unbalanced load can significantly alter how a truck handles in a braking situation.
Was Types of Evidence Should Be Reviewed?
To fully understand how this chain of events unfolded, investigators need to collect more than just eyewitness accounts. The truck’s Engine Control Module (ECM) can provide valuable data about speed, braking effort, and throttle position in the seconds before impact. Skid marks, debris distribution, and the positioning of all three vehicles will also help reconstruct the sequence of events.
Video footage from nearby cameras—or from the trucks themselves—could help establish how much warning the Freightliner driver had and whether the second truck had any opportunity to avoid the collision once the Cobalt was pushed into its path.
Why a Detailed Investigation Is Necessary
When two commercial vehicles are involved in a crash that ends in the loss of life, it’s not enough to say the vehicle in front stopped or that the truck behind didn’t. In my experience, the full story only comes out after investigators examine every possible contributing factor—from driver behavior to equipment performance. That’s what is needed to understand why this happened in the first place.