PONCHATOULA, LA — A 63-year-old woman was struck and killed while standing near her vehicle on Interstate 10 in St. Tammany Parish early Friday morning, according to Louisiana State Police.
Deborah H. Severio was driving east in her Toyota RAV4 at approximately 4:40 a.m. when she slowed for a stuck 4Runner involved in a single-vehicle crash just east of the Interstate 12 and Interstate 59 interchange. An Audi A6 struck Severio's vehicle from behind, prompting both drivers to pull over, authorities said.
Emergency personnel arrived on the scene and all drivers exited their vehicles. While standing between her RAV4 and the Audi, Severio was struck by a Nissan Titan that collided with the Audi, pushing it into her. Severio was pronounced dead at the scene.
A passenger in Severio's vehicle suffered minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital. The drivers of the 4Runner and the Nissan Titan were properly restrained and reported no injuries. Authorities reported no suspicion of impairment for the Nissan driver, who recorded a breath sample of .000 g%.
Routine toxicology tests were collected from all involved drivers, as part of the ongoing investigation, state police said. Further updates will be released as they become available.