Betty Dean of Livingston was allegedly reaching for her cell phone when she slammed into Charles LaBlanc's vehicle.
17 Year Old Driver Reaches for Cell Phone, Causes Major Accident, LIVINGSTON, January 5, 2010 - Just minutes before 6 pm on January 5, 2010, Charles Ray LaBlanc, 32, of Livingston, was south-bound on US-146 and slowed down in his red Jeep Wrangler to make a left onto Coy Oliver Lane when he was slammed from behind by a tan 2004 Pontiac Aztek driven by Betty Samantha Dean, 17, of Livingston. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, Dean was reaching for her cell phone when she slammed into LaBlanc. LaBlanc's vehicle rolled off of 146 to the right where it came to rest in the grass, while Dean's vehicle remained in the south-bound lane of 146. Americare Ambulance Service was dispatched to the scene along with DPS Troopers Darwon Evans and David Flowers. South-bound traffic was re-routed to the north-bound lane as south-bound and north-bound traffic alternated turns to keep traffic flowing. Both parties were transported to Livingston Memorial Hospital by private vehicle with non-life-threatening injuries. Both parties had insurance. Betty Dean was issued a citation for failure to control speed. LaBlanc's Jeep was recovered by a rollback wrecker from Ken's Towing and it will be stored at Harrison Body Shop in Livingston while Dean's vehicle was recovered by a rollback wrecker and it will be stored at Fawbush Body Shop in Livingston. The scene was cleared by 7:04 pm.
Charles Ray LaBlanc's Jeep sustaine heavy rear-end damage.
DPS Trooper David Flowers investigates.
LaBlanc's Jeep was recovered by Ken's Towing.
Dean's vehicle was recovered by Fawbush Towing.
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