Iberia Parish, LA : Bossier City man dies in fiery collision in South Louisiana on Friday, July 8, 2016

A Bossier City man was killed in a fiery head-on collision after apparently being involved in a hit-and-run accident just beforehand in South Louisiana, authorities said.

Louisiana State Police have identified him as 24-year-old Rakeem Blakes.

He was driving a 2006 Ford Explorer east on the U.S. 90 service road in Iberia Parish shortly before 10:15 a.m. Friday.

His vehicle failed to negotiate a curve, crossed into the westbound lane, struck a 1990 Kenworth and caught fire, says a statement from Master Trooper Brooks David, of State Police Troop I.

Blakes was pronounced dead at the scene by a representative of the Iberia coroner’s office. Due to the fire, authorities said, it's unknown if he was wearing a seat belt.

The driver of the Kenworth - 69-year-old Billy Romero, of New Iberia - was wearing a seat belt and was not injured.

While investigating the fatal crash in New Iberia, troopers received information that Blakes had just been involved in a hit-and-run crash along U.S. 90 near the Broussard area.

Whether impairment was a factor in the collision is unknown at this time, David's statement says. A toxicology sample was taken from Blakes and submitted to the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab for analysis.

Romero voluntarily submitted to a chemical breath test. His results indicated he was not impaired, authorities said.

"Troopers are continuing their investigation into the cause of the fatal crash, along with following up on information obtained about the hit-and-run crash," the statement says.

Source :
Bossier City man dies in fiery collision in South Louisiana