COVINGTON, La. — Authorities say a 23-year-old Biloxi man is dead after a crash on Interstate 12 near Covington on Tuesday morning.
The crash was reported around 7:32 a.m. on the westbound lanes before U.S. Highway 190, causing heavy delays during the morning rush hour.
St. Tammany Parish Coroner Dr. Charles Preston identified the victim as 23-year-old Zuriel Pryor of Biloxi, Miss. Preston said that final autopsy results are pending, but initial findings suggest that Pryor's cause of death was multiple blunt force trauma and the manner of death was accidental.
Photos from the scene show a black-colored vehicle with significant damage in a wooded area off the side of the roadway.
Louisiana State Police said in a press release that the crash occurred as a 2011 Toyota Scion driven by Pryor was heading westbound on the I-12 and proceeded to strike the rear of a Ford Fusion that was in front of Pryor.
The Toyota traveled off the roadway after the impact and collided with multiple trees, fatally injuring Pryor. The driver of the Ford Fusion only suffered minor injuries. Both drivers were properly restrained.
The crash remains under investigation, LSP said.
Authorities are also investigaing a separate crash that closed all lanes on Interstate 10 westbound before Gause Boulevard in Slidell, La. Congestion from that crash reached the I-10/I-12/I-59 interchange. Drivers were encouraged to use an alternate route.
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