Mt. Hermon resident killed in crash

Published 10:22 am Wednesday, May 6, 2020

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A Mt. Hermon resident was killed Tuesday in a single-vehicle crash in St. Tammany Parish, according to Trooper David Levy of the Louisiana State Police.

On Tuesday, shortly before 11 p.m. troopers from LSP Troop L responded to a single-vehicle, fatal crash on Louisiana Highway 437 (Lee Road) at Narrow Road, in St. Tammany Parish. The crash claimed the life of Gabriel A. Varela, 42, of Mt. Hermon.

Levy said that the initial investigation led troopers to determine that the crash occurred as a Chevrolet Impala, driven by Varela, was traveling north on Highway 437. Varela’s vehicle reportedly traveled off the roadway and struck a culvert and then an embankment. Varela was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, received fatal injuries, and was pronounced deceased on the crash scene, according to Levy.

At this time, speed is a contributing factor in the crash, and impairment is suspected, Levy said. As part of the ongoing investigation, toxicology will be performed on Varela. The investigation is ongoing and no additional information is available at this time.