Terrance Ruffin, 19, died in a nine-vehicle crash near North Foster Drive and Prescott Road in Baton Rouge shortly before noon on September 27, 2026. WBRZ’s report, citing Baton Rouge police, lists seven injured people, including one in critical condition.
The injury totals in the published reports differ. WAFB, citing emergency officials, reports eight injured people. Neither report explains the discrepancy, so the two counts should not be combined.
Police describe the first impacts, but not every vehicle’s involvement
According to the police account reported by WBRZ, a Kia Sorento in the left lane struck the rear driver-side door of the Chevrolet Malibu to its right. Ruffin was driving the Malibu.
The impact sent both vehicles into opposing traffic. The Kia struck a third vehicle, and those two vehicles rolled. Another vehicle struck Ruffin’s Malibu. The reports identify nine vehicles in all but do not give a complete sequence for each one.
That leaves two different reconstruction problems: what caused the Kia and Malibu to make contact, and what happened during the later impacts. Damage photographs and video may show different parts of that sequence. Our crash-evidence guide explains how to connect records to the particular question they can answer.
Keep the differing reports with their dates
WAFB’s report was first published September 27 and updated September 28. WBRZ’s September 27 evening report uses the seven-person injury count. The original versions and any later police supplements should be kept together rather than treating a changed number as an explanation of what happened.
The sources do not identify the other drivers or report an arrest or citation. They also do not establish final fault. Our article on checking police reports against the underlying evidence addresses how to handle incomplete or disputed accounts. The Baton Rouge car accident practice page explains the firm’s work on those claim issues.
Sources
Both reports attribute the collision information to police or emergency officials. The injury-count discrepancy and incomplete nine-vehicle sequence remain unresolved in the linked accounts. This article is general information, not individual legal advice.
Sources checked: September 30, 2026. Last reviewed: September 30, 2026.