Three Southeastern Louisiana University students died after a Honda Accord left the roadway and struck a concrete support column near Ponchatoula early Monday, September 28, 2026.
WBRZ reported that all three men attended Southeastern. Louisiana State Police identified them by age and hometown but has not released their names. They were a 21-year-old driver from Hammond, a 20-year-old front-seat passenger from Slidell and a 19-year-old rear-middle-seat passenger from New Orleans.
What LSP Says Happened
Troop L responded around 3:30 a.m. to the on-ramp leading from US Highway 51 to northbound Interstate 55 in Tangipahoa Parish.
The preliminary investigation indicates that a 2017 Honda Accord was traveling north on US 51 at a high rate of speed. For reasons still under investigation, the Accord left the roadway to the left and struck a concrete support column beneath the elevated portion of I-55.
The restrained driver and unrestrained front-seat passenger died at the scene. The restrained rear-middle-seat passenger suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to a hospital, where he later died.
Troopers collected routine toxicology samples for analysis. Pending toxicology testing does not establish that alcohol or drugs contributed to the crash.
The Exact Speed and Cause Remain Unresolved
LSP described the Accord as traveling at a high rate of speed but did not report a measured speed or issue a final finding about why the car left the roadway.
The vehicle’s available crash data, roadway marks, scene measurements, mechanical condition and toxicology results may help investigators determine the Accord’s speed, whether the driver braked or steered before impact and whether another circumstance affected the crash.
Those findings are particularly important for the passengers’ families. Because no occupant survived, the physical evidence and any independent witness or video evidence may provide the clearest account of what happened.
Sources
- Louisiana State Police: Three Killed in Single-Vehicle Crash in Tangipahoa Parish
- WBRZ: Three Southeastern Louisiana University students killed in crash near Ponchatoula
Editorial & Legal Accuracy Notice (Louisiana)
Updated September 28, 2026, to add WBRZ’s report that all three victims were Southeastern Louisiana University students. Crash details come from Louisiana State Police’s preliminary release. The victims’ names, measured vehicle speed, final crash findings and toxicology results had not been released. This article provides general information, not legal advice. Stephen Babcock, Louisiana Bar No. 26792.