Two people from Sulphur, a 52-year-old woman and a 51-year-old man, died following a crash on Louisiana Highway 389 east of Hargrove Loop Road near DeQuincy on Friday evening, October 30, 2026. In its October 31 release, Louisiana State Police identified 26-year-old Dylan Havens as the driver of a Chevrolet Silverado that struck their Jeep SUV.
Troopers say the 2016 Jeep was traveling west and slowing for a left turn into a private driveway when a 2017 Silverado, also westbound, struck its rear. Both vehicles left the roadway. The Jeep’s female passenger died at the scene. Its male driver died after being transported to a hospital. Both were wearing seat belts. Their names had not been released in the official announcement.
What Police Reported About the Arrest
Troopers reported that Havens showed signs of impairment. They obtained a search warrant and collected a toxicology sample, but no test result was announced. Havens was booked on allegations of two counts of vehicular homicide, careless operation and speeding. KPLC’s account of the sheriff’s statement identifies Havens as an off-duty Beauregard Parish deputy. Neither an arrest nor preliminary observations establish impairment or civil liability.
Why the Jeep’s Left Turn Is Central
This is a rear-impact collision involving a vehicle reportedly slowing for a private driveway at night. The key questions include how long the Jeep had been slowing, what its rear lights and turn signals showed, what sight distance was available, and what the pickup’s speed and braking were before impact. The original scene geometry, collision damage and electronic event data may help establish those facts.
Investigators should inspect both vehicles’ lights, tires and available event data, preserve roadway measurements and identify drivers who saw the Jeep preparing to turn. Toxicology evidence must be evaluated on its own terms when reliable results become available, without assuming their content.
Civil Responsibility and the Deputy’s Off-Duty Status
The driver’s employment does not by itself make the sheriff’s office responsible. Vehicle ownership, the purpose of the trip, any employment-related activity and applicable insurance must be investigated. The criminal allegations also do not answer every issue in a separate civil case.
Two deaths from the same collision may involve distinct survival and wrongful death claims. Our Louisiana wrongful death and survival overview explains why the legal claimants and available records must be identified individually. A vehicular homicide arrest does not itself establish civil fault.
In a comparable case, Babcock Injury Lawyers would move quickly to take reasonable steps to preserve both vehicles, electronic records and evidence of all relevant insurance. This is part of The Babcock Benefit. We are not built for volume. We are built for leverage.
Families facing a similar fatal crash do not need to decide whether a viable legal claim exists before seeking advice about evidence preservation. Call (225) 500-5000 or contact Babcock Injury Lawyers online. The firm does not represent anyone involved in this reported crash. This article is general information, not legal advice.