Brooke Farris Killed in Crash with 18-Wheeler on US-171 in Mansfield, LA
Mansfield, LA — December 6, 2022, 28-year-old Brooke Farris was fatally injured in a collision with a tractor-trailer on U.S. Highway 171 in Mansfield.
Authorities say the incident happened around 8:00 a.m. on US-171 near Hudson Darby Road. Prleiminary investigation suggests only that Farris was traveling north in a Chevy Blazer when for unknown reasons she rear-ended the trailer of a commercial 18-wheeler.
Farris was transported to an area hospital where she was pronounced dead. A 3-year-old child in the Chevy was taken to a Shreveport hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The truck driver was unhurt.
The investigation continues. No further information is available at this time.
Commentary on Brooke Farris Accident on US-171 in Mansfield
People tend to see a rear-end collision and instinctively blame the rear driver. In many cases further investigation might prove them right, but a crash's details or fault should never be taken for granted before all the facts are known. There's still a lot to investigate here: How far apart were the vehicles before the crash, and how fast were both traveling? Did the big rig brake or change lanes suddenly ahead of the victim? Did her Chevy have any mechanical problems or defects that prevented it from stopping or steering clear? Did its safety features activate properly during the crash? Is that stretch of road dangerous or poorly designed in any way? What were weather and road conditions like there?
I'm not claiming to know more about what happened than reports tell, but a woman lost her life here and that alone should warrant careful and thorough investigations. Only facts and clear evidence should tell the story--the victim's loved ones deserve no less, and she deserves the benefit of the doubt in the meantime.
