A juvenile driver escaped serious injury after a single-vehicle crash on Oct. 13 around 4:44 pm along Louisiana Highway 494 near Bermuda sent a car down an embankment toward Cane River.

According to the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office, deputies, Louisiana State Police, and Natchitoches Regional Medical Center EMS responded to the crash just east of Shell Beach Bridge.

Investigators said the juvenile was driving a 2009 Honda Civic eastbound on Highway 494 when the vehicle left the roadway, traveled down an embankment, and came to rest near the edge of Cane River.

An off-duty Louisiana Livestock Brand Commission agent who was passing through the area noticed what appeared to be smoke coming from the crash site.

The agent stopped, exited his vehicle, and ran down the embankment to assist the driver. He opened the vehicle’s door and helped the juvenile climb the steep incline to safety.

The driver sustained minor lacerations and bruises and was evaluated at the scene by emergency medical personnel. The juvenile was released without requiring transportation to a hospital.

Deputies confirmed that the driver had been wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.

A towing service was called to recover the Honda Civic from the embankment. The Sheriff’s Office reported that photographs of the vehicle were unavailable because it was concealed by underbrush.

Louisiana State Police Troop E handled the crash investigation.

Following the incident, the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office reminded motorists of the importance of wearing seat belts, emphasizing that proper restraint can significantly reduce the risk of serious injury or death in a crash.

No additional injuries were reported in the Sheriff’s Office’s initial account of the incident.