WELSH — A Jefferson Davis Parish woman died Monday when her vehicle drove into the path of an 18-wheeler on Interstate 10, just west of Welsh.

Tressa Hoffpauir, 25, of Welsh was taken to an area hospital, where she was pronounced dead, state police Sgt. James Anderson said.

Two passengers in the vehicle, Shannon Hoffpauir, 32, and a juvenile, were taken to the hospital with moderate injuries, he said. None of the occupants were wearing a seatbelt, Anderson said.

The accident occurred just before 7 p.m. Monday as Hoffpauir’s vehicle was traveling west on I-10 near Welsh. For unknown reasons, the vehicle drove onto the right shoulder, then abruptly drove back onto the right lane and into the path of an 18-wheeler, police said.

The 18-wheeler struck the driver’s side of Hoffpauir’s vehicle.

The driver of the 18-wheeler, Mark Ardoin of Lake Charles, was not injured. He was wearing a seatbelt.

Toxicology samples were obtained from both drivers and will be submitted for analysis.

(MGN Online)