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On November 8, Tuesday, Velma D. Hendrix, the incumbent mayor of Melville, Louisiana, was killed in a two-car collision on Election Day.
According to People News, 84-year-old Velma D. Hendrix was running for a second term in office when the tragedy occurred. Louisiana authorities reported that she was traveling in the rear left passenger seat of a 2008 Acura RDX with three other occupants.
Hendrix's vehicle was reportedly hit by a 2015 RAM 2500 pickup truck which was traveling on the west-bound lanes of the US 190. It was determined that both Hendrix and the pickup truck driver were not wearing their seatbelts at the time of the crash.
After the crash, Velma D. Hendrix was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition, before eventually succumbing to her wounds. The 3 other passengers reportedly suffered moderate to critical injuries, while the pickup truck driver was unharmed.
All there is to know about Velma D. Hendrix
According to the WSB, Velma D. Hendrix was first elected as mayor in 2018. It was reported that she was sworn into the role in a joint ceremony with several other elected city officials by the St. Landry Parish on January 5, 2019.
The New York Post reported that Hendrix wasn't featured in the State election data page. Several citizens paid tribute to the incumbent mayor through online posts and discussed the impact she made on the small Louisiana town.
In a Facebook post, Melville Citizen Mary Polozila Morain described Hendrix as having been an educator before embarking on her career. Morain said that Hendrix "touched many lives as a former educator and politician." Morain added that she had also taught several people who "prospered from the knowledge" that Hendrix shared with them.
Another teacher, Staci Vicknair Polozola, made an online post about the impact Hendrix had on other educators at Melville High School. Hendrix taught English at the school.
Polozola wrote that Hendrix was like a mentor to the former when she started teaching. She added that Hendrix was a compassionate and genuine person, and Staci noted that she had "fond memories" of their time at the school.
At the time of her death, Velma D. Hendrix was running against Sheila "Sam" Londerno and Caretta Robertson. In the aftermath of the incident, St. Landry Parish Clerk of Court released a statement announcing changes in the election process.
As of Tuesday, Londerno was projected to win with 52% more votes than Robertson.
The clerk said:
“In the case of no one else qualifying before Monday, November 14, 2022, the candidates from November 8, 2022 with the highest votes will be declared Mayor of Melville."
The crash currently remains under investigation. Louisiana authorities do not suspect that any foul play is involved.
