Woman dies when car goes over side of Atchafalaya bride; five others survive

Troopers with Louisiana State Police Troop A investigated a fatal crash on I-10 which claimed the life of a Florida woman after the vehicle she was riding in traveled over the side of the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge.
At 8:12 p.m. Friday, June 13, 24-year-old Lois Rudd of Largo, Fla., was driving a 2002 Dodge Durango west on Interstate 10 near milepost 132 on the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge.
For reasons still under investigation, Rudd’s vehicle veered left and struck the south guardrail. Rudd overcorrected causing her vehicle to roll onto its side and strike the north guardrail where it traveled over the side of the bridge. With the assistance of several responding agencies, the occupants of the vehicle were rescued and taken to waiting ambulances.
Rudd had six people in the vehicle with her. One of the passengers in the vehicle Mina Bell, 25, of St. Petersburg, Fla., was pronounced dead at the scene by the coroner’s office.
There were also five children in the vehicle ranging in ages from 5 weeks to 9-years-old. A 7-year-old child sustained severe injuries, all of the others sustained moderate injuries and were taken to local hospitals.
Troopers are still investigating to determine who was restrained, and excessive speed is believed to be a factor in the crash.
Rudd remains at Baton Rouge General Hospital on Bluebonnet and once treated for injuries sustained in the crash, she will be released and booked into the Iberville Parish Jail on five counts of negligent injury, negligent homicide and careless operation.
This crash remains under investigation.