Cayden Callihan, 18, of Whiteville, North Carolina, was killed in a collision at LA 1032 and Hunter’s Way in Livingston Parish. Louisiana State Police reported that Troop A responded shortly before midnight on January 30, 2026. The other driver sustained minor injuries, according to the same release.
That release gives a preliminary sequence, not a final fault finding. Callihan was driving a 2008 Honda Accord east on Hunter’s Way. A 2022 Ford F-150 was traveling south on LA 1032. State Police said Callihan attempted a left turn onto LA 1032, entered the Ford’s path, and the Ford struck the Honda’s left side. Troopers expressly said the reason for the turn remained under investigation.
What the first State Police account leaves open
The release does not give the vehicles’ speeds, sight lines, signal or sign information, driver statements, or a final reconstruction. It says impairment was not suspected, while routine toxicology samples would still be submitted. Neither statement is a finding that the investigation is complete. Both drivers were reported as properly restrained, which also does not resolve why the vehicles collided.
Those distinctions matter at an intersection. The point of impact and direction of travel describe part of the sequence, but they do not answer every question about visibility, timing, roadway control, or what either driver could have done before entering the intersection. Our guide to proving fault in a disputed Louisiana car accident explains how physical evidence, witnesses and vehicle data may be evaluated when the initial account leaves questions open. That guide is general; it does not supply missing evidence in Callihan’s case.
Records that could clarify the collision
An investigating file may contain scene measurements, photographs, diagrams, vehicle damage observations, witness interviews and any available camera footage. The public news release does not say which of those items State Police collected. The State Police crash-report portal explains report access, although it says fatal crash reports are not available online and must be requested through a troop office.
For a family, an early concern is arranging safe, lawful preservation of information that may be held outside the official report: nearby video, phone photographs, tow and storage records, the vehicles themselves, and communications from insurers. Those records may help answer a question the first release cannot: whether the collision was preventable and, if so, whose conduct contributed to it. Seeking them does not presume fault by either driver. Medical care and scene safety come first; do not enter a roadway, tow yard or other property without safe, lawful access.
The Traffic Records Unit distinguishes report requests from fatal-crash photo requests and currently asks for a 60-day wait before the latter. That records-request guidance is not a reason to delay medical care or a lawful request to preserve other evidence.
Questions for a family considering a claim
A fatal crash can involve two legally distinct sets of harm. Louisiana’s wrongful death provision addresses damages eligible relatives sustain because of a death caused by another’s fault. The survival provision concerns damages the person sustained before death. The statutes identify who may bring each claim and contain their own timing rules. Their possible application here depends on evidence of fault and the family’s circumstances; the preliminary State Police sequence alone does not establish a claim.
Our Louisiana wrongful-death guide explains the distinction in more detail. The separate guide on filing a Louisiana wrongful death case discusses records, standing and the first legal steps. A family does not need to decide the legal theory before asking counsel to review the available facts.
If you witnessed the collision, contact the investigating agency through the State Police release linked above. Families seeking legal help can speak with our Baton Rouge wrongful-death lawyers about the records, insurance and deadlines that may apply. Call 225-500-5000. A report number or documents may help, but they are not a prerequisite to a conversation.
Babcock Injury Lawyers can help request and review available records, arrange evidence preservation, communicate with insurers and organize loss documentation. A consultation does not require the family to resolve the legal theory first.
About the author
Stephen Babcock is a Louisiana trial lawyer and the founder of Babcock Injury Lawyers. His Super Lawyers profile lists selection for 2014–2026. Professional recognition does not predict the result of an individual claim.
Source and scope: Louisiana State Police, Troop A news release, January 31, 2026. The release describes a preliminary investigation. We have not independently reviewed the crash reconstruction, toxicology results or any later investigative findings. Earlier source-check date: September 28, 2026.
This article gives general information about a reported crash and Louisiana law. It does not assign fault or offer legal advice for a particular family.
Earlier review date: September 26, 2026.
To report a factual correction, email [email protected].