Jeffery Garner Obituary: DeRidder Man, 62, Dies After Being Struck by Vehicle While Washing Car at E. 1st Street Car Wash

The DeRidder, Louisiana, community is mourning the loss of Jeffery L. Garner, a 62-year-old local man who died after being struck by a vehicle while washing his car on Sunday afternoon, August 30, 2026. The fatal incident occurred just after 1:30 p.m. at a car wash on East 1st Street, according to the DeRidder Police Department .

Garner, a resident of DeRidder, was at the business washing his vehicle when a Chevrolet Camaro left the roadway and entered the parking lot, striking him . Despite the rapid response of emergency personnel, Garner was transported to a local hospital where he was later pronounced deceased .

According to preliminary findings, a 2011 Chevrolet Camaro was traveling westbound on E. 1st Street when, for reasons that have not yet been determined, it left the roadway and entered the car wash parking area .

The vehicle then struck Garner, leaving him with serious injuries . The crash also injured the driver and passenger of the Camaro, who were both transported to a Lake Charles-area hospital for medical treatment . Their current conditions were not provided in the preliminary information released by authorities.

As investigators continue examining the circumstances of the crash, officers obtained a toxicology sample from the driver, which will undergo testing as authorities work to determine what factors may have contributed to the Camaro leaving E. 1st Street and entering the car wash parking lot . The DeRidder Police Department has not released the identity of the Camaro driver.

Deputy Police Chief John Davidson stated that this has been an intentional decision to protect the integrity of the investigation . “It is important that we ensure a thorough investigation into this tragic case,” Davidson said. “We want to refrain from putting out any other information until we have completed the investigation and ensured that justice is served for all involved” .

No information regarding possible citations or charges has been provided, and investigators are continuing to gather evidence and establish a complete timeline of the incident . The crash remains under investigation, and further information may be released as the investigation progresses and toxicology results become available .

At this time, the DeRidder Police Department has not released a confirmed cause for the vehicle leaving the roadway. A specific cause of death has not been publicly disclosed beyond the confirmed information that Garner died from injuries sustained in the crash. Garner’s passing is remembered here through the confirmed details of his final moments, and condolences are extended to those affected by his loss.