STONEWALL, LA — Two people died Friday night in a crash on U.S. Highway 171 in Stonewall, according to Louisiana State Police. The wreck happened around 11:30 p.m. near Louisiana Highway 3276 and involved a southbound Chevrolet Tahoe and a northbound Volvo VNL truck.
State police said the Tahoe turned left and collided with the truck. The DeSoto Parish Coroner identified the men killed in the SUV as Benny West, 63, and Christopher Graham, 43.
The Volvo driver was restrained and suffered minor injuries, authorities said. Troopers are still investigating what led to the collision.
State police say the Tahoe turned left into the path of the northbound truck
Investigators said the crash sequence began when the 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe was traveling south on U.S. Highway 171. As it turned left, it crossed into the path of a 2000 Volvo VNL headed north.
The vehicles collided on the highway near the intersection with Louisiana Highway 3276. Louisiana State Police have not released additional details about the circumstances surrounding the turn or whether any other factors may have played a role.
Because the crash is still under investigation, officials have not said whether charges, citations or further findings are expected. The basic timeline, however, points to a left-turn maneuver that ended in a fatal impact.
DeSoto Parish Coroner identifies the two men killed in the SUV
The DeSoto Parish Coroner identified the victims as Benny West, 63, and Christopher Graham, 43. Both were in the Chevrolet Tahoe when the crash occurred late Friday night.
Authorities did not immediately release information about their hometowns or their relationship to each other. They also did not say which of the two men was driving the SUV.
The coroner’s identification is the first public confirmation of the victims’ names. It also underscores the severity of the wreck, which left no survivors in the Tahoe.
Truck driver was restrained and suffered minor injuries, police say
Louisiana State Police said the driver of the Volvo VNL was wearing a seat belt and sustained only minor injuries. That driver was able to survive the collision despite the force of the impact.
Police did not provide the truck driver’s name. They also did not say whether the driver was taken to a hospital or treated at the scene.
The contrast in injuries highlights how quickly a highway crash can turn deadly for occupants of one vehicle while leaving another driver with comparatively limited harm. Investigators have not said whether vehicle size, speed or roadway position affected the outcome.
Crash adds to a dangerous late-night scene on a busy north-south route
U.S. Highway 171 is a major north-south corridor through northwestern Louisiana, and the collision happened late at night when traffic is often lighter but visibility can still be limited. State police have not said whether weather, lighting or road conditions were a factor.
Stonewall sits in DeSoto Parish, southwest of Shreveport, and the stretch near Louisiana Highway 3276 is part of the local highway network used by both passenger vehicles and commercial trucks. That mix can make turning movements especially risky when traffic is approaching from the opposite direction.
Officials have not released a detailed reconstruction of the crash site. For now, the confirmed facts are limited to the time, place, vehicles and the fatal result for the two men in the SUV.
Investigators continue to piece together what happened before the collision
Louisiana State Police said the case remains under investigation, which means more details could emerge after officers review the scene and gather witness statements. At this stage, no public explanation has been given for why the Tahoe turned left into the truck’s path.
That kind of review typically focuses on roadway movements, vehicle positions and any evidence that helps explain how a crash unfolded. In this case, officials have kept the findings limited to the basic facts already released.
For the families of Benny West and Christopher Graham, the investigation now centers on answers about the final moments before the fatal wreck. Police have not announced a timeline for any additional update.
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