Full Breakdown
Fatal Pedestrian Crash on Nicholson Drive Claims Two LSU Students
By Drooid · · How we work
Crash Overview
On a Sunday night, a 2016 Nissan Rogue driven by 20-year-old Mia Dawson veered off the road in the 5000 block of Nicholson Drive in Baton Rouge. The vehicle struck Leah Victoria Fonte, 21, a senior studying biological sciences at LSU, and her fiancé Shane David Hirstius, 21, an LSU firefighter, as they walked along the right shoulder. Fonte died at the scene; Hirstius later succumbed to his injuries in a hospital. Police located Dawson shortly after the incident in the 1900 block of Nicholson Drive and took her into custody.
Legal Proceedings
Dawson faces charges of vehicular homicide, operating while impaired, hit-and-run, reckless operation, and vehicular negligent injury. At a court appearance on Monday, a bond of $229,000 was set, with the condition of house arrest. Her next bond review is scheduled for mid-December.
Official Responses
Mayor-President Sid Edwards noted that the city’s Transportation and Drainage Department is already constructing a 10-foot shared-use path along the east side of Nicholson Drive, adding lighting and upgraded pedestrian crossings at Gourrier Avenue and Bob Pettit Boulevard. He said the department will meet with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development on Tuesday to discuss additional safety measures before construction is completed.
Safety Improvements Planned
City officials have highlighted longstanding pedestrian-safety concerns on Nicholson Drive. The ongoing project aims to create a safer corridor for walkers and cyclists, with the new path and lighting intended to reduce nighttime hazards. State and local leaders, together with LSU representatives, are reviewing further engineering options to protect pedestrians along the route.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I am sick of seeing students and others killed while walking along Nicholson Drive at night,” — Gov. Jeff Landry
