Franklin man dies in highway mishap

Shortly after 7:15 p.m. Wednesday, a Louisiana State Police Trooper responded to a crash on U.S. 90 westbound near Patterson.
The crash claimed the life of 39-year-old Samuel Mitchell of Franklin.
The preliminary investigation revealed that Mitchell was walking on the south shoulder of U.S. 90 eastbound when a family member pulled over and urged Mitchell to enter the vehicle.
Mitchell fled from the vehicle and began to cross the westbound lanes of U.S. 90 when he was struck by a 2007 Dodge truck driven by 83-year-old Wallace Mason of Belle Chase. The St. Mary Parish Coroner’s Office arrived and Mitchell was pronounced dead at the scene. Mason was wearing his seatbelt at the time of the incident and suffered no injuries.
Toxicology samples were taken from Mitchell by the coroner’s office and were submitted for analysis. Mason voluntarily submitted to a chemical breath test and was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
This crash is still under investigation.
The Louisiana State Police said in a press release, “the majority of pedestrian fatalities occur at night. Pedestrians are encouraged to walk facing traffic, wear light color clothing, wear reflective materials, and carry a flashlight at night. Additional pedestrian safety can be found online at www.walkinginfo.org.”