Iberia Parish – At approximately 1:10 a.m. on May 22, 2022, Troopers from Louisiana State Police Troop I were notified of a single-vehicle crash on Darnall Road just north of US Highway 90 in Iberia Parish. The crash claimed the life of 48-year-old Donavar Yancy of Abbeville.
The initial investigation by State Police revealed that the crash occurred as Yancy was driving a 2016 Mercedes 350 west on US 90 West Frontage Road. For reasons still under investigation, Yancy failed to negotiate a curve and ran off the roadway. Upon doing so the vehicle overturned several times, coming to rest on its roof near the center of Darnall Road.
Yancy was unrestrained at the time of the crash and was ejected from the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene by the Iberia Parish Coroner’s Office. A toxicology sample was obtained for analysis and this crash remains under investigation.
Louisiana State Troopers wish to remind motorists that, while not all crashes are survivable, statistics show that the chances of surviving a crash rise significantly when properly restrained. Making good choices while in motor vehicles such as never driving while impaired and always ensuring every occupant is properly restrained can often mean the difference between life and death.
Troop I has investigated 15 fatal crashes resulting in 17 deaths in 2022.