Residents call for safer roads in Vermilion Parish following fatal crashes

VERMILION PARISH, La. (KLFY) A family is pushing for street lights to be installed along Highway 167 in Vermilion Parish after the death of a teenage girl.

"Our community was devastated by the loss of Ramsie, and I just feel like there needs to be a comprehensive plan. We need to look at counter measures such as lighting and also signs,” said Angie Arnold.

State police say 18-year-old Ramsie Baumgardner lost her life in a head-on crash on Highway 167.

Troopers say Baumgardner was traveling South when her vehicle was struck head-on by a car driven by 31-year-old Brandon Isaac of Carencro.

Police said Issac was traveling north in the southbound lane.

The problem for drivers is that when they're behind the wheel, these streets get so dark it's almost impossible to see.

"Our ultimate goal is to figure out how we can get those lights put up, and how we can get the funds to continue to maintain them,” said Sheri Dubois, Ramsie's aunt.

Deidra Druilhet with the Department of Transportation and Development says they are conducting a speed and study assessment.

"We kinda started some of the initial legwork of the assessment, and we already started pulling crash reports and data within that section of the roadway,” Druilhet said.

The victims family says installing lights from the south side of Maurice to the north side of Abbeville, would be idea.

"We lost. There's nothing we can do about that. Our baby is gone, but if this can be avoided for someone else, then that means the world to us,” said Kristi Baumgardner, Ramsie's stepmother.

The family says the Vermilion Parish Sheriff's office has a short-term plan to put lights up in the area.

“Her being gone is never going to stop hurting but knowing that because of her, these lights are going to get put up finally, and there’s going to be no more young girls taking on this highway or anyone for that matter. I feel like Ramsie will want that to be her legacy."