Gramercy, LA : Man was dead in he lost control of the car he was driving, hit a tree and early morning Wednesday September 3 2014.

Authorities said a man was killed after he lost control of the car he was driving, hit a tree and ended up in a river early Wednesday morning. Louisiana State Police identified the victim as Bobby Garantine, 53, of Gonzales. Troopers reported the crash happened on US 61 south of I-10 near Gramercy in St. James Parish around 2:30 a.m. Tpr. Jared Sandifer said the preliminary investigation showed Garantine was headed north on US 61 just south of the Blind River in a 1991 Pontiac Bonneville when the car went into the median and he overcorrected. According to Sandifer, the car then went off the highway on the opposite side, hit a tree on the driver's side and came to rest partially submerged in the water. He said Garantine was not wearing a seat belt and suffered serious injuries in the wreck. He added Garantine was taken to St. James Hospital in Lutcher where he later died from his injuries. Investigators reported they have not determined what caused Garantine to veer off the road and it is unknown if impairment was a factor. Per protocol for deadly crashes on Louisiana highways, a sample of his blood was sent to the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab for analysis. Source : Man dies in crash in which car hits tree, stops partially submerged in river