Fourth Fatality in Two Weeks on Highway 21
Published 10:00 am Wednesday, July 30, 2025
- The intersection of Lon Miley Road and Highway 21, the area of two recent fatal crashes near Bogalusa. PHOTO BY KIM EDWARDS
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Crash Marks Third Deadly Wreck Near Bogalusa, Authorities Urge Caution
THE DAILY NEWS
A tragic pattern continues along Louisiana Highway 21 as a Bogalusa man became the fourth person killed in a series of fatal accidents on the stretch of highway near Bogalusa in just two weeks.
The most recent crash occurred in the early morning hours of Saturday, July 26, 2025. Louisiana State Police Troop L responded to a two-vehicle collision at approximately 12:30 a.m. on LA Hwy 21 near Lon Miley Road in Washington Parish. The crash claimed the life of 43-year-old Gary W. Pittman Jr. of Bogalusa.
According to preliminary reports, Pittman was driving a 2008 Dodge Dakota southbound on Highway 21 when, for reasons still under investigation, his vehicle crossed the centerline into the northbound lane. The Dodge collided head-on with a 2013 GMC Sierra that was traveling in the opposite direction.
Pittman, who was wearing his seatbelt, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the GMC suffered serious injuries and was transported to a local hospital. Authorities have not yet released the other driver’s identity, and it remains unclear whether that individual was properly restrained.
As part of the ongoing investigation, routine toxicology samples were collected from both drivers. State Police continue to examine the circumstances leading up to the collision.
This marks the third deadly crash—and fourth fatality—on Highway 21 near Bogalusa in just two weeks. Earlier this month, an elderly couple was killed in a wreck near Lee’s Creek Road. Just two days later, an Angie man lost his life in a crash involving a semi-truck near Lon Miley Road.
With the recent uptick in fatal accidents, Troopers are once again emphasizing the importance of safe driving habits. “Never drive impaired, ill, fatigued, or distracted,” the Louisiana State Police stressed in a statement. “While not all crashes are survivable, proper restraint use and responsible decisions behind the wheel can often mean the difference between life and death.”
The investigation into Saturday’s crash remains ongoing.
