Matthew P. Daigle, 48, and Terri R. Deslatte, 54, killed in car crash on U.S. Highway 61 on May 20

Two people were killed early Tuesday morning when their car ran off the road and into a nearby bayou on U.S. Highway 61 in St. James Parish, according to the Louisiana State Police. Matthew P. Daigle, of Lutcher, 48, and Terri R. Deslatte, 54, of Hester, died in the wreck, Trooper Jared L. Sandifer said in a news release. At just after 1:30 a.m., a witness called 911 to report that a car ran off the road. An investigation of the wreck showed that Daigle was driving a 2009 Porsche 911 south on U.S. Highway 61 when, for unknown reasons, the car ran off the road to the left, crossed the center median and the northbound lanes and into a bayou located south of Blind River, Sandifer said. The submerged car was found in the bayou several hours later, he said. Although both Daigle and Deslatte were wearing seatbelts, they received fatal injuries as a result of the crash, Sandifer said. Driver impairment is unknown, but a toxicology sample was submitted to the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab. Excessive speed is considered to be a factor in the crash, Sandifer added.