Lafayette Teenager Identified After Fatal Crash Involving Stolen SUV Driven by 14-Year-Old

A major crash early Monday morning claimed the life of a 17-year-old girl and led to the arrest of a 14-year-old boy on multiple charges, including negligent homicide. The incident occurred in Lafayette when a stolen SUV, carrying seven teens, crashed on Walker Road.

The Lafayette Police Department has identified the victim as Terry Mitchell, a Lafayette resident who was sitting in the rear seat of the vehicle. The crash happened around 3:40 a.m. in the 300 block of Walker Road, near the intersection of Tournoir Street. According to police, the SUV left the roadway, struck a privacy fence, flipped, and collided with a tree in a yard.

Police report that the juvenile driver was recklessly operating the stolen vehicle, which ultimately led to the single-vehicle crash. Sgt. Matthew Benoit of the Lafayette Police Department told News 15, “When you have multiple juveniles just before 4 a.m. driving a stolen vehicle in a reckless manner, and we have a loss of life from it, it really is a tragedy for our community.”

Emergency responders arrived at the scene shortly after receiving a 911 call about the crash. Some occupants fled the scene, but the driver was located nearby and later arrested. Three teens, including the driver, were taken to a local hospital; however, Mitchell succumbed to her injuries shortly after arrival. Two other passengers sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

The 14-year-old driver, whose identity was not released due to his age, was taken into custody and later booked into the Lafayette Juvenile Detention Center. He is facing charges of negligent homicide, reckless operation, unauthorized use of an automobile, and driving without a license.

The tragic crash occurred during a deadly holiday weekend on Acadiana’s roadways, with two other unrelated fatal incidents reported in the area. Sgt. Benoit expressed the broader impact of the crash, saying, “This was a really tragic weekend for the entire city of Lafayette and for our community. It’s difficult when we have weekends like this and we have situations involving vehicles and fatalities, especially things that can be avoided.”

Details will be updated as we receive more information on this crash, which is still under investigation. See the original story here.