By Jared Janes
The Advocate

Manchac, La. — A second person has died as a result of the series of wrecks Sunday night on Interstate 55 near Manchac that injured at least six other people.

Riley Terrebonne, 29, a Livingston Parish volunteer firefighter, died Monday from head trauma sustained when he was pinned against a retaining rail after he stopped to help a man trapped in the overturned sport-utility vehicle that began the pileup.

Terrebonne was pronounced dead Monday at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, Fire Chief Brian Drury said.

He was driving home when he saw the Explorer swerve and start to overturn, Drury said.

The firefighter parked his pickup — with his father, mother and nephew inside — turned on his emergency lights, grabbed a medical bag and ran to help.

He was using a pocket knife to cut off the other driver's seat belt when an oncoming vehicle clipped the wreckage and crushed Terrebonne against the wall, Drury said.

Terrebonne's nephew was seriously injured when he tried to free his uncle and was struck by another oncoming car.

Although firefighters from the Ponchatoula Volunteer Fire Department were dispatched to the call, Terrebonne didn't hesitate to do what he could, Drury said.

"You wouldn't be a volunteer if you could drive past something like that," he said.

Also killed in the eight-vehicle pile-up was Martin Davison, 43, of Kenner.

Terrebonne, who started volunteering with the Springfield fire department when his family moved from Port Sulphur after Hurricane Katrina, will be buried at Springfield Cemetery at 1 p.m. Saturday with full firefighter honors, Drury said.

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