In the quiet dawn of Tuesday in Lafayette, Louisiana, grief swept through the community after a violent crash at the busy intersection of East Broussard Road and Johnston Street took three lives and left a fourth injured early in the morning. The Lafayette Police Department says the crash happened around 5:13 a.m., when a speeding car slammed into another vehicle stopped at a red light, setting off a chain reaction that ended in heartbreak.
Cherita Washington, 36, and her 17-year-old child, Chase Washington — both from Duson — were killed when their vehicle was struck from behind as they waited to turn onto Johnston Street. Authorities say the impact shoved their car into a third vehicle waiting to turn, and the force of the crash was so great that the car that caused the collision continued through the intersection and hit a wooden utility pole.
The driver of the speeding car, identified as 21-year-old Joseph Prejean of Lafayette, also died from injuries sustained in the crash. Police say that all three deaths occurred at the scene of the collision, bringing a sudden and painful loss to families and neighbors who knew them.
A fourth person, who was in the third vehicle, survived with minor to moderate injuries and was taken to a local hospital. Police have described that individual’s condition as stable, but have not released more personal information.
The Lafayette Parish School System reacted with deep sorrow to the loss of Chase, a student at Lafayette High School, and his mother. Officials said support counselors will be made available on campus for students and staff during this difficult time, and they extended heartfelt condolences to all affected by the tragedy.
The crash shut down both northbound and southbound lanes of Johnston Street at East Broussard Road for several hours as police investigated and utility crews worked to clear debris and repair the damaged pole. By later in the day, all roadways had reopened, but the scene remains under review by the Lafayette Police Department’s Traffic Unit.
Neighbors described a somber atmosphere in the area, with many struggling to come to terms with the loss of life so early in the day. The community, still shaken by the suddenness of it all, is now left to grapple with the aftermath of a collision that has touched so many.
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