Two children killed in Richland Parish crash with tractor trailer

Nothing can prepare children or teachers when something catastrophic happens to a member of their class. It’s hard to come up with anything to say when chairs that were occupied by kids last week are now vacant.

That’s the grim reality friends and classmates of Bryn Thompson and Harrison Thompson will have to endure in the coming months. Nine-year-old Bryn and seven-year-old Harrison died in a car accident on the morning of August 14 in Richland Parish.

Tragedy strikes Richland Parish

The elementary school children were riding in the back of a 2020 Chevrolet Suburban driven by 43-year-old Kasey Thompson when their vehicle was rear-ended by a tractor-trailer. The incident took place on U.S. Highway 425 as the family headed south.

70-year-old James Barnes was behind the wheel of the 2001 Volvo truck that was transporting a grain trailer. When Thompson was about to make a left turn on Buckles Road, the truck hit the Chevrolet.

After the collision, the Thompsons’ car burst into flames. 

The two children were pronounced dead at the scene. Kasey Thompson and another passenger sitting in the front seat suffered treatable injuries and are recovering at a local medical facility.

Barnes was not injured during the incident. 

All parties in the Chevrolet were wearing their seatbelt. Barnes was not restrained at the time of the incident.

Barnes was not believed to be impaired, but toxicology samples were taken after the crash. The results are currently pending. 

The Johnson Firm is sorry to hear about the passing of such young members of the community. Our experienced legal professionals can be reached at (337) 433-1414 in the event someone has been injured in a truck accident.