Tragedy on Louisiana Highway: Couple Dies Hours Apart in Separate Crashes on Same Stretch of Road

Alexus Lee, 25, of Baton Rouge, (left) and her fiancé, John Collins of Clinton, 35, (right) and their 4-year-old son, Gabriel

A devastating tragedy unfolded on LA-67 in Louisiana when a man was killed in a car crash just hours after his fiancée died in a separate accident along the same stretch of highway. The couple, Alexus Lee and John Collins, leave behind their four-year-old son, Gabriel.

The first crash occurred in the early hours of May 16. Alexus Lee, 25, was driving her 2013 Toyota Highlander northbound when, for reasons still under investigation, her vehicle veered off the road, struck an obstruction, and overturned. Authorities confirmed that Lee was not wearing a seatbelt and was pronounced dead at the scene due to fatal injuries sustained in the crash.

Police later contacted her fiancé, John Collins, 35, to notify him of the accident. In a tragic turn of events, Collins was en route to the scene at high speed in a 2016 Chevrolet Camaro when he lost control while navigating a right-hand curve. His vehicle left the road and collided with a tree. He too was pronounced dead at the scene.

Toxicology reports for both incidents are pending as the Louisiana State Police continue their investigations into the cause of each crash.

The couple had recently purchased a home together and were planning to marry in February 2026. Their sudden deaths have left their family, friends, and community in deep mourning.

Alexus Lee, 25, of Baton Rouge, (left) and her fiancé, John Collins of Clinton, 35, (right) both died in the early morning hours of May 16 in two separate crashes in Louisiana

Collins’ parents expressed their heartbreak in the aftermath. “I love them and I’m gonna miss both of them and I’m gonna find the strength to go ahead,” said his father, Arthur Collins. His mother, Sandra Collins, shared, “He loved Alexus as well as everybody else who knew her. To know her was to love her.”

The grieving grandparents have begun helping young Gabriel understand the loss of his parents. “He understands what happened, and he’s just having a little problem comprehending that we can’t talk to them. We can’t see them, but he understands that they are asleep and are with God,” Sandra explained.

Tributes have poured in from across the community. East Feliciana Public Schools confirmed the passing of Lee, a 2017 graduate of East Feliciana High School and a teacher at East Feliciana STEAM Academy, calling on the community to offer prayers and support to her family.

Friends and loved ones have shared heartfelt messages online. Meche Danielle recalled their time together in college, writing, “So many nights we spent stressing over Math 117 at UL!! Countless meals and conversations we shared. My heart truly goes out to your son, such a loving and caring soul gone too soon!! Get your rest babygirl Alexus Lee.”

Todd Collins, John’s brother and Lee’s brother-in-law, remembered her unwavering support: “You were the best and I’m surely going to miss you. They just don’t make them like you! Not only did you love my brother and nephew, you always made sure Uncle Todd was straight.”

Lee’s funeral was held Wednesday in Clinton, Louisiana, drawing a community together to mourn two lives lost too soon and to support the young boy now left without his parents.