Yesterday St. Tammany Sheriff’s deputies were continuing the investigation into the late-night crash that claimed the lives of two teenagers on Guste Island Road near Madisonville.
While the cause of the crash is still under investigation, members of the STPSO Traffic Division believe the 2019 white Honda Civic was traveling southbound on Guste Island Road shortly after midnight Wednesday morning at a high rate of speed when it ran off the roadway, impacting two trees, a utility box and two signs.
The vehicle was occupied at the time by what is believed to be four 16-year-old local females.
Two of the occupants were pronounced dead on the scene by medical personnel. Officials identified the victims as Chloe Shartle, of Covington, and Makayla Bonura, of Madisonville, both 16 years old. The female that was believed to be driving at the time and another passenger were transported by medical personnel to a local hospital with injuries.
Sheriff Randy Smith said while it is always a tragedy when young lives are lost, it is especially challenging to have something like this happen in our community just days away from the start of the new school year.
