Deville truck driver killed in one-vehicle accident

A Deville man became the Troop E’s first traffic fatality of 2019 when he was killed in a one-vehicle accident on La. Hwy 913 Monday (Jan. 14).

Investigators said Matthew D. Howerton, 32, was driving a loaded log truck when he lost control, ran off the road and overturned.

He was not wearing a seat belt and was partially ejected from the vehicle, State Police said. He was killed at the scene.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation, a Troop E spokesman said.

The spokesman noted the proper use of seat belts “will dramatically reduce your chance of being injured or killed in a crash. We ask you to take one second to ‘buckle up!’”

State law requires all occupants of a vehicle -- regardless of seating position -- to be buckled while the vehicle is in motion.

“ Not wearing a seat belt remains the leading cause of death in motor vehicle crashes,” the trooper said.

So far in 2019 Troop E has investigated one fatal accident resulting in one death.