Gordon Johnson, 54, and Corinne Talbert, 43, killed in crash on U.S. 190 near Mandeville on June 3.

A motorist who died Tuesday after crossing the U.S. 190 median near Mandeville and slamming into oncoming traffic had "significant" heart disease that may have played a role in the accident, St. Tammany Parish Coroner Charles Preston said. Both Gordon Johnson, 54, of Covington, and a second motorist, Corinne Talbert, 43, of Madisonville, died of injuries they received in the accident, Preston said, but Johnson had heart disease that could have been a contributing factor.

"The question is did he have some sort of medical event . . ?," Preston said in an interview Wednesday. "Did he have a heart attack?"

The answers to those questions will likely take weeks and involve microscopic examination, he said.

Johnson was driving south on U.S. 190 between Fairway Drive and Louisiana 22 at about 5 p.m. when for unknown reasons he sideswiped a vehicle heading south, crossed the median and drove against traffic for a stretch before colliding with northbound vehicles, State Police said. Four vehicles were involved in the main crash, police said.

Johnson and Talbert died at the scene.

One motorist refused medical treatment at the scene, and another was taken to a hospital with what appeared to be minor injuries, police said.

The accident forced the closure of northbound U.S. 190 in the area for about two hours.