Denham Springs, Louisiana — The community is grieving the loss of Katy Wells, a longtime crossing guard whose life ended in a tragic crash outside Gray’s Creek Elementary School on Thursday afternoon.
She was on duty, doing what she had done for decades, helping children cross safely after school along Hwy. 16 when the accident happened. A truck traveling northwest struck her in the area where she worked daily.
Emergency responders arrived quickly and tried to help, but she did not survive the injuries from the crash. The scene left parents, students, and staff in shock as word spread across the school community.
Officials say Katy Wells had served in the Livingston Parish school system and with the sheriff’s office for about 40 years. She worked across multiple schools, including Gray’s Creek Elementary and Seventh Ward Elementary.
To many families, she was more than a crossing guard. She was a steady presence every school day, someone who stood in the heat, rain, and traffic to make sure children got across safely without fear.
School leaders described her as deeply committed and dependable. The sheriff’s office said she took pride in her role and treated the safety of children as her personal responsibility.
Her death has left a wide emotional gap in Livingston Parish. Teachers, parents, and students have been sharing memories and expressing disbelief that someone so familiar to their daily routines is gone.
Authorities identified the driver as Darren Goudeau, 64, of Walker. He was arrested and booked into the Livingston Parish Detention Center on charges including vehicular homicide and DWI, with impairment suspected as a factor in the crash.
The investigation remains ongoing, but the focus in the community has largely turned to mourning a woman many say represented safety itself at the school gates.
Katy Wells will be remembered for her quiet dedication, her constant presence at school crossings, and the years she spent protecting generations of children as they came and went from school.
