Ponchatoula, LA : Man charged in fatal wreck on Highway 445 south of Highway 190 in the Ponchatoula area on Monday, 9th September 2019

An Amite man has been charged in the wake of a fatal wreck that claimed the like of a Mississippi woman.
The crash claimed the life of Marissa Barrett, 24, of Lumberton, who was riding as a motorcycle passenger on Highway 445 south of Highway 190 in the Ponchatoula area.

The initial investigation by Louisiana State Police determined the crash occurred as Dustin Cox, 36, was riding with Barrett on a 1998 Kawasaki ZX750P motorcycle southbound on Highway 443 at a high rate of speed. A trooper unsuccessfully tried to stop Cox.

Cox eventually turned eastbound onto Highway 190, and due to reckless driving behavior by Cox, the trooper stopped pursuing. A witness saw the motorcycle turn south onto Highway 445, and the motorcycle was soon located.

The investigation determined that while traveling southbound on Highway 445, Cox sideswiped a southbound vehicle. As a result, the motorcycle left the roadway and struck a ditch embankment ejecting Cox and his passenger Barrett.

Cox and Barrett were taken to a local hospital with serious injuries. Barrett ultimately succumbed to those injuries. Impairment on the part of Cox was suspected, and a toxicology sample was taken for analysis.

Cox was officially charged with vehicular homicide, operating a vehicle while intoxicated, flight from an officer, reckless operation of a vehicle, careless operation and speeding.

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