2 dead and 2 injured in accident involving underage, impaired driver, state police report

LAFOURCHE PARISH, Louisiana — An underage driver who State Police say was driving with a high blood alcohol level was involved in a crash in Lafourche Parish early Sunday morning that left two 18-year-olds dead.

The accident occurred around 1 a.m. on Louisiana Highway 3090 near AJ Estay Road.

According to state police, 18-year-old Axel Flores-Cordova of Honduras was driving a 2012 Jeep Cherokee south on Highway 3090 when a Kia Rio with four passengers was traveling north on the same highway. Police said the Jeep veered from the center lane into the Rio’s lane and despite some corrections by both cars, a head-on collision occurred.

The driver and passenger of the Rio, identified as 18-year-old Rylan Oncale of Raceland and 18-year-old Taliyah Crochet of Houma, died as a result of the crash despite being properly restrained. Two rear seat passengers sustained moderate injuries and were taken to the hospital.

According to police, Flores-Cordova was not wearing a seatbelt and was uninjured.

However, state police said Flores-Cordova voluntarily provided a breath sample that showed his blood alcohol content was nearly seven times the legal limit for minors.

He was booked into the Lafourche Parish Detention Center and charged with two counts of first-degree reckless assault, driving while intoxicated, and several other driving-related offenses, including driving without a license and failure to wear a seatbelt.

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