A thick fog settled in Lafayette, Louisiana, in the early morning hours of January 6, 2026. The fog made it difficult for drivers to see, and the National Weather Service even issued a dense fog advisory. Even when conditions are less than perfect, many people still have to drive. We hope everyone pays attention in hazardous conditions, but that isn’t always the case, and accidents can happen. Just after 5 on that very foggy morning, a speeding driver reportedly rammed his car into another vehicle stopped at a red light. Tragically, the impact was so strong that the crash left three people dead and investigators questioning how it happened.
According to KADN, the Lafayette Police Department reported 21-year-old Joseph Prejean rear-ended a vehicle waiting to make a turn from E. Broussard Road onto Johnson Street. Prejean allegedly was driving too fast. When the collision occurred, he killed 36-year-old Cherita Washington and her 17-year-old daughter, Chase Washington. Prejean also died in the accident after his car continued through the intersection and hit a utility pole.
Family member Yolanda Washington told KATC that the deaths of Cherita Washington and Chase Washington broke her heart. The mother planned to graduate from nursing school in May, and her teenage daughter was poised to graduate from high school. All the dreams they had shattered in an instant. Yolanda Washington shared a beautiful statement with the station.
“A normal morning after the holidays. A routine filled with love and responsibility. And yet, Lord, in a moment of recklessness, everything shifted. We ask You now for what only You can give: understanding where there are no answers,” she explained. “Peace where confusion and anger want to take root. Comfort where words fall painfully short. Cover this family, Lord. A mother who was walking in purpose.”
Lafayette Police Department Sgt. Robin Green told KADN the fog and Prejean’s speed likely played a factor in the fatal collision.
“We would like people to be a little more patient or leave a little early if they have to get to work or school, and right now, today was the first day back to school, so now, you had more people on the roadway. You had buses, you had kids trying to get to school, teachers trying to get to school as well,” Green said. “So, I do understand that it was an inconvenience for people trying to get to those places, but we ask that they be patient with our officers as we conducted our investigation.”
The accident remains under investigation, but no matter what authorities police find, nothing will bring back the three victims who died. Driving is a huge responsibility that everyone must take seriously. Even driving just a little too quickly in foggy conditions can turn deadly in an instant. It’s just not worth it.
