Driver arrested in June deaths
October 16, 2016
UPDATE**Unrestrained Young Mansura Woman Killed in Crash
**Earlier this morning, Troopers arrested and charged Mark Eldridge Jr. with vehicular homicide (two counts), in reference to the death of Shakira K. Mingo and the death of her unborn child that she was carrying. He was booked into the Rapides Parish Detention Center.
Mingo was pregnant at the time of the crash. Doctors attempted to save the baby, but the baby died at Rapides Regional Trauma Center.
See below for the original release from June 1, 2016.
Rapides Parish – Earlier today, a single vehicle crash killed a young woman from Mansura, LA and moderately injured a male teenager from Cottonport, LA. He was wearing his seat belt, but she was not.
Troopers responded to the crash around 2:40 p.m., which occurred on LA Hwy 1 near Old River Road. The crash involved a 2015 Chrysler 200, driven by Mark Eldridge Jr. (B/M 19 yrs). The Chrysler was northbound on LA Hwy 1 when Eldridge Jr. lost control and exited the right side of the roadway. After exiting the roadway, the vehicle collided into two fences and then a tree.
Eldridge Jr. was transported to Rapides Regional Trauma Center. His passenger, identified as Shakira K. Mingo (B/F 20 yrs), was pronounced dead.
Routine toxicology tests and charges are pending. The crash remains under investigation.
Louisiana State Police would like to take this opportunity to remind/inform motorists that properly wearing your seat belt will dramatically reduce your chance of being injured or killed in a crash. We ask you to take one second to “buckle up!” Louisiana law requires that every person in a vehicle, regardless of seating position, always remain buckled up. Not wearing a seat belt remains the leading cause of death in motor vehicle crashes.
Troop E Troopers have investigated 21 fatal crashes in 2016, resulting in 23 fatalities.