Benton, La. — A quiet stretch of Merritt Road turned into a scene of heartbreak on April 11, 2026, after a utility terrain vehicle crash killed two people and left another injured in Bossier Parish.
Authorities say the crash happened around 8:15 p.m. when a 2012 Polaris Ranger UTV carrying three occupants was heading east near Merry Lane. What should have been a routine ride ended in a sudden loss of control.
The driver was 10-year-old Bella Cassell. Investigators report the vehicle left the roadway for reasons still being examined and overturned violently. All three people inside were thrown from the UTV.
Cassell was not wearing a seatbelt and was not using a helmet approved for road or recreational safety. She suffered critical injuries and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she later died.
The front-seat passenger, 31-year-old Callie Durbin, was also unrestrained and not wearing a helmet. She died at the scene from her injuries, leaving behind a community in shock.
A third passenger, a juvenile whose name has not been released, survived the crash but sustained moderate injuries. That child was taken to a local hospital and is receiving care.
State police have stated that impairment is not suspected in the crash. Standard toxicology testing was still conducted as part of routine procedure, while investigators continue to piece together what caused the UTV to leave the road.
Officials are using the tragedy as a reminder of how quickly recreational rides can turn deadly, especially when safety restraints and helmets are not used. The Benton area community has been left grieving, trying to make sense of a night that changed everything in seconds.
