2 killed in Gonzales wreck early Saturday

GONZALES — State Police are investigating the deaths of two men after a traffic stop ended in a fatal crash around 2:30 a.m. Saturday on U.S. 61 in Gonzales.

Trooper First Class Russell Graham, spokesman for State Police, said the Gonzales Police Department stopped a 1998 Dodge Stratus driven by Joshua Davis, 24, of Westwego, for an alleged traffic violation, but Davis sped away and led police on a high-speed chase.

As Davis attempted to elude police, the car ran off the road to the left and when Davis attempted to compensate, he overcorrected and spun the Stratus clockwise off the road to the right, Graham reported.

Graham said the car struck a culvert, flipped twice and hit a large signpost in front of Ascension Baptist Church.

Graham said both Davis and the back seat passenger, Lerone Ursin, 40, of Convent, were pronounced dead at the scene.

A third occupant, Quanmaine Scott, 17, of Prairieville, fled on foot, but eventually was taken into custody and transported to St. Elizabeth Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Graham said none of the three occupants were wearing seat belts.

The Gonzales Police Department requested State Police help with the investigation, and a sample of Davis’ blood was sent to the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab to check for alcohol.