Baton Rouge, Louisiana – Jose Maximo Gonzales Ortega, 38, a resident of Denham Springs, tragically lost his life in a fatal car crash that occurred in Baton Rouge on the evening of August 27, 2024.
The crash, which took place around 10:20 p.m. at the intersection of Sherwood Forest Boulevard and Bricksome Avenue, resulted in the deaths of both Ortega and his passenger, 28-year-old Yeni Verali Escobar Alfaro. The vehicle, a 2020 Toyota Camry, was reportedly traveling at high speed when it failed to navigate a turn and collided with a pole.
Emergency responders arrived at the scene to find Ortega and Alfaro had both succumbed to their injuries. A child who was in the backseat of the vehicle was rushed to a local hospital and remains in critical condition.
The Baton Rouge Police Department’s Traffic Homicide Division is currently investigating the crash. While the East Baton Rouge Coroner’s Office is awaiting toxicology results, no autopsies have been scheduled as of now. Further information will be released as the investigation continues.