Katelynn Strate was only 17 years old, but the pregnant Louisiana teen was making big plans to welcome a baby girl into the world. But that all changed after a road rage incident claimed her life in a tragic turn of events.
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Strate was in the passenger seat of a Ford Expedition with two other people when an altercation with a driver driving a silver Dodge truck began around 9 a.m. on Sunday (Aug. 24), according to WVUE. Both the Ford and Dodge driver began “tailgating and brake-checking each other” while headed towards the same direction, a statement from the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office (TPSO) said.
The Dodge driver was identified as 54-year-old Barry West. The TPSO statement continued, saying that things escalated between the two drivers, and “West shot one round into the Expedition traveling in front of him where the victim was seated in the front passenger seat.”
Strate, 17, was shot in the head, and when the driver realized this, “they called 911 and drove the victim directly to the hospital,” the statement added. At the time, she was 28 weeks pregnant, according to WVUE.
After being rushed to the hospital, Strate was placed on life support in order to save her baby. Doctors delivered the child by emergency C-section two months before her due date. She was 3 pounds, 11 ounces at birth but is in perfect health, according to Nola.com.
The 54-year-old man, West, was later arrested and told police he thought someone in the Ford shot at him first. Police found no evidence to support his claim, they said. “There was no weapon in the vehicle the victim was traveling in,” the TPSO statement said.
West was originally charged with four counts of attempted murder, one count of Illegal Use of a Weapon and Obstruction of Justice. On Tuesday (Aug. 26), Strate’s family took her off of life support, according to WVUE. Consequently, West’s charges have been upgraded to include second degree murder.
“This is a senseless tragedy on Sunday morning with no logical reason for this family to be experiencing this heartbreak right now,” Sheriff Gerald Sticker said. “The public has to be patient and considerate when driving, at all times, and if there is a concern for your safety, call 911 and report the concern.”
A GoFundMe in support of Strate’s family has raise over $26,000.
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