Bunkie man and Marksville woman killed in early morning crash

Two Avoyelles Parish residents died from injuries received in a one-vehicle accident on U.S. Hwy 71 near Alexandria this past Friday (Jan. 3).

State Police Troop E reported that Hoang Thai Nguyen, 43, of Bunkie, and his passenger, 40-year-old Le Bui Chatelain, of Marksville, were southbound at approximately 1 a.m. when Nguyen lost control of his 2015 Nissan, ran off the road and struck a tree.

Neither victim was wearing seat belts at the time of the accident, a Troop E spokesman said.

They were transported to separate hospitals where they died of their injuries.

The fatal accident, Troop E’s first of 2020, is still under investigation.

The Troop E spokesman noted that proper use of seat belts significantly reduces the chance of injury and death in accidents. Not wearing a seat belt is the leading cause of vehicle accident deaths.

Louisiana law requires every person in a vehicle to be “buckled up.”