LAKE CHARLES, La. — A tragic multi-vehicle crash in Moss Bluff on Saturday night has left 19-year-old Gideon M. Capitano dead and 24-year-old Shelby T. Wood facing serious charges, according to the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office (CPSO).
At approximately 9:00 p.m., deputies responded to the intersection of North Perkins Ferry Road and Poeyfarre Drive, where an initial collision involving three vehicles had taken place. Investigators determined that a Chevy pickup was stopped northbound, waiting to turn left onto Poeyfarre Drive, when a Toyota SUV attempted to pass in a no-passing zone. The Toyota struck a Ford pickup head-on, which was traveling southbound on North Perkins Ferry Road.
In the aftermath of that crash, drivers, passengers, and even passing motorists stopped to render aid. While many were outside their vehicles, a second collision occurred. Another Chevy pickup traveling southbound slammed into the rear of the Ford involved in the first crash.
Authorities say all bystanders managed to move to safety except for the driver of the Ford pickup, Gideon Capitano. He sustained critical injuries and was transported to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries early Sunday morning. The driver of the Toyota SUV was also taken to a hospital with moderate injuries.
During the investigation, deputies observed signs of impairment in the driver of the Chevy pickup involved in the second crash. She was identified as Shelby T. Wood. According to CPSO, Wood performed poorly on standardized field sobriety tests. A blood sample was taken, and toxicology results are pending.
Wood was arrested and booked into the Calcasieu Correctional Center on multiple charges, including:
- DWI (1st offense)
- Vehicular homicide
- Careless operation
- Expired registration
Her bond has not yet been set.
As required by state law, toxicology tests were conducted on the other drivers involved in the crashes. The investigation remains active.
CPSO emphasized that an arrest is not proof of guilt but an indication that probable cause exists. Wood, like any defendant, is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The tragic chain of events has left the Moss Bluff community mourning the loss of Gideon Capitano, remembered as a young man whose life was cut short far too soon.
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