February 6, 2002

PRESS RELEASE

To: Newsroom
For Immediate Release
Contact: Brian A. Crawford, Public Information Officer
Phone: 673-6652, cell: 455-2609, page: 675-2137

Heart Attack May Have Claimed Accident Victim

A Shreveport man who drove his truck into a telephone pole along the 5800 of Youree Drive this morning just after 9:30 a.m. may have been suffering from an apparent heart attach.

The 74-year-old male driver was on the cell phone speaking to his wife complaining of a heart attack shortly before the accident occurred. The man’s truck, a Chevy 1500 Z71 pickup, then careened across the middle turn lane and into the oncoming northbound lane, striking the pole just in front of the Southfield Plaza sign. The vehicle sustained heavy front-end damage. Witnesses told fire officials that after the accident and before their arrival, the man was talking and complaining of chest pains.

When firefighters arrived, the man had a weak pulse, stopped breathing, and went into cardiac arrest. Department paramedics worked feverishly to revive the man. He was rushed to LSUHSC where he was pronounced dead a short time later. He never regained a pulse. No other vehicles were involved or individuals were involved in the accident. ###