Springfield man arrested in fatal Siegen Lane crash; Police suspect he was intoxicated

Advocate, The (Baton Rouge, LA)

May 26--A Springfield man was arrested Friday afternoon on negligent homicide and other counts after a fatal crash Wednesday evening on Siegen Lane during which troopers suspect he was intoxicated, according to a Louisiana State Police arrest report.

Witnesses told investigators that 51-year-old Blake Starkey was driving erratically when he drove across three lanes of travel and hit a stopped vehicle head-on, pushing that vehicle backwards off the road and down an embankment, according to the report. Starkey was driving northbound on Siegen Lane near Cloverland Avenue when he hit the other vehicle driven by 62-year-old Cheryl Patterson, which was stopped in the center turn lane.

Patterson, of Arlington, Texas, was hospitalized with serious injuries. Patterson's 82-year-old passenger, Carolyn Ozment, of Dyersburg, Tennessee, was hospitalized but died from her severe injuries, police said.

Investigators discovered that Starkey had a suspended driver's license and no proof of insurance, according to his arrest report. He did not give any statements about the wreck and refused to give a blood sample for a toxicology test. Investigators filed and gained a search warrant for a blood sample from Starkey, which will be tested.

Starkey did have a previous DWI and an arrest on reckless driving and hit and run from 2004, according to his arrest report. Police said he also had at least three prior drug arrests.

First responders cut Starkey, who hadn't been wearing a seat belt, out of his smashed up pick-up truck at the scene. He was hospitalized with serious injuries.

Starkey, of 28300 Marie Hutchinson Road, Springfield, was booked in Parish Prison Friday on reckless operation, negligent injury, negligent homicide, suspended driver's license and no proof of insurance.

___

Visit The Advocate, Baton Rouge, La. at www.theadvocate.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.