Two teens dead in suspected-DWI crash; third teen under arrest

Two teenagers died in a crash early Sunday morning; troopers say they suspect the driver who allegedly caused the crash was impaired.

Axel Flores-Cordova, 18, was booked with two counts of vehicular homicide, two counts of first-degree vehicular negligent injuring, DWI first offense, open alcoholic container in vehicle, driving left of center, no driver’s license, and no seatbelt. Troopers say he provided a voluntary breath sample, which revealed a blood alcohol concentration nearly seven times over the underage legal limit.

Rylan Onacle, 18, of Raceland, and Taliyah Crochet, 18, of Houma, died in the crash. Two other people in their vehicle sustained moderate injuries and are recovering at hospitals, troopers say.

The crash happened around 1 a.m. Sunday on La. 3090 near AJ Estay Road in Lafourche Parish, troopers say.

Flores-Cordova was driving a Jeep south on the highway, and Oncale was driving a car north. Flores-Cordova's Jeep crossed the center line, into the car's path. Oncale tried to avoid the collision by steering left, but the Jeep corrected itself, and hit the car head-on in the southbound lane.

Flores-Cordova was not restrained and was uninjured in the crash. Both Oncale and his front passenger, Crochet, were properly restrained. Crochet suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene. Oncale suffered serious injuries and was transported to a nearby hospital, where he later died. Two rear-seat passengers in the Kia, whose restraint use is still being determined, suffered moderate injuries and were transported to an out-of-area hospital for treatment, Troopers say.

Troopers determined Flores-Cordova to be impaired and placed him under arrest. He provided a voluntary breath sample, which revealed a blood alcohol concentration nearly seven times over the underage legal limit. A standard toxicology sample was collected from Oncale and submitted for analysis.

"Far too many times, Troopers have seen the devastating effects of a motorist choosing to drive impaired. In Louisiana, the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for drivers under 21 is 0.02%. Even small amounts of alcohol can impair your judgment, coordination, and reaction times, putting everyone on the road at risk. Underage drivers, who already lack experience, are even more vulnerable to these hazardous effects. Choosing to drive impaired endangers not only your life but also the lives of others. Make the right choice to drive sober," troopers say.

Troop C has investigated 13 fatal crashes resulting in 16 fatalities in 2024.