Sanitation worker’s leg severed in Jefferson Parish distracted-driving crash, State Police say

JEFFERSON, La. (WVUE) - A sanitation worker loading trash into his garbage truck had a leg severed Monday morning (May 30) when he was struck by a driver distracted by texting on her cellphone, Louisiana State Police said.

The crash occurred around 8:15 a.m. as the trash truck was stopped and loading garbage near the Rivershack Tavern in the 3400 block of River Road near Shrewsbury Road. The victim was rushed for hospital treatment in serious condition, authorities said, but his name and age were not immediately disclosed.

State Police spokesperson Trooper Kate Stegall said a woman driving a Toyota RAV4 SUV admitted she was looking at her cellphone instead of the road when she rear-ended the garbage truck, pinning the worker between the vehicles and amputating his leg.

The woman driver was not immediately identified, but Stegall said she was in custody and would be booked into the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center on allegations of negligent injuring and texting while driving.

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