A recent Louisiana State University graduate and her fiancé, a volunteer firefighter, lost their lives in a fatal incident on Sunday morning in Baton Rouge. According to authorities, the couple was struck by a vehicle driven by a driver who appeared to be under the influence of a substance while they were walking along a road.
Two individuals, Leah Victoria Fonte and Shane David Hirstius, aged 21, were confirmed as the victims of a late-night incident. The accident took place approximately at 2:40 a.m. in the Nicholson Drive area, specifically near the intersection with Lee Drive, in the vicinity of square 5000.
A 20-year-old woman, identified as Mia Camille Dawson, was behind the wheel of a 2016 Nissan Rogue when she veered off course and collided with a couple who were walking on the right shoulder of the road in a southern direction.
Dawson departed the scene following the collision, and law enforcement personnel subsequently apprehended her at a location on Nicholson Drive, approximately 1900 square feet in size, shortly after the incident.
A 21-year-old female student from Metairie, who was studying biological sciences at Louisiana State University, suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. A second individual, also a student, was transported to a nearby hospital where they later succumbed to their injuries.
A publication from the Third District Voluntary Fire Department in Jefferson Parish indicates that the couple was attending a friend's birthday celebration prior to the incident in which Hirstius was involved.
LSU Chancellor Jim Dalton released a statement acknowledging the university community's collective grief following the student's passing.
The institution has provided students and employees with access to support resources, including advisors from the LSU Cares program, to offer assistance to those impacted by the tragedy.
The Third District Voluntary Fire Department issued a public reminder to Fonte and Hirstius via a Facebook post.
The institution has expressed its heartfelt tribute to Shane and Leah, acknowledging their enduring impact on the community through their radiant smiles, selfless nature, and unwavering dedication to spreading joy. Their memories will be cherished by the community and the family of the fire service, forever etched in the hearts of those who knew them.
In Jefferson's parish, Hirstius served as a volunteer firefighter, and Fonte was in his final year of university studies.
Dawson is currently being held in custody in East Baton Rouge, where he is facing multiple charges, including driving under the influence of substances, reckless driving, fleeing the scene of an accident, vehicular homicide, and negligent injury resulting from reckless driving.
An investigation into the incident is ongoing, with authorities yet to provide further information regarding the circumstances that led to the vehicle departing the road. The charges against Dawson will be determined through the course of subsequent court proceedings.
