Three small children survive St. Amant head-on collision

A major head-on collision Saturday in St. Amant on Hwy 22 near Hwy 936 sent five local residents to area  hospitals, St. Amant Volunteer Fire Department Chief Officer James E. LeBlanc said in a release.

Members of the St. Amant Volunteer Fire Department had to use extrication tools to free one of the injured persons, LeBlanc said.

That patient was airlifted from the scene by Acadian Ambulance Air Med with life-threatening injuries, and was in stable condition Sunday night, according to LeBlanc.

The second vehicle in the wreck carried three small children strapped in their car seats. Witnesses at the scene saw this vehicle with the small children flip at least three to four times, LeBlanc said, but the babies did not suffer major injury due to being properly strapped and positioned in their vehicle.

“In my 26-year career as a local fire chief, it's been years since I have seen such a serious impact of two vehicles,” LeBlanc said. “The shoes of the babies were stuck in the side windows of the vehicle.”

The wreck is living proof that babies can survive if properly buckled in the car seats, LeBlanc said.

“This accident needs to be used statewide on babies being able to survive such a major accident being strapped in their car seats properly,” he said.

All of those hospitalized were St. Amant residents, LeBlanc said.

In addition to the St. Amant Volunteer Fire Department, the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office, Louisiana State Police and Acadian Ambulance ground and air units, responded to the wreck.