Bogalusa man indicted for vehicular homicide after second offense DWI crash kills passenger

Mitchell Wayne Polkey

COVINGTON — Bogalusa resident Mitchell Wayne Polkey, 25, was indicted Tuesday by a St. Tammany Parish Grand Jury on vehicular homicide charges in connection with a May 5, 2011 vehicle crash in Mandeville that took the life of his 84-year-old passenger.

If convicted in the death of Carl Edward Harrell, also of Bogalusa, Polkey could face a prison term of between five and 30 years.

The crash involving Polkey happened on May 5 in Mandeville, where police say Polkey was driving a Chevrolet pickup on the U.S. 190 Frontage Road near Banner Ford about 9:30 p.m. when he apparently lost control on a curve. The truck left the roadway and hit several trees head-on.

Harrell was not wearing a seat belt and suffered severe trauma when he struck his head on the windshield, police said. He was taken to St. Tammany Parish Hospital for treatment but later died.

Polkey was also not wearing a seat belt, but was not seriously injured. He was taken to a local hospital for mandatory blood testing following a fatal accident and was intoxicated.

At the time, Polkey was charged with Harrell's death, a second-offense DWI, reckless driving, driving with a suspended license and driving without a seat belt.

According to Harrell’s online obituary at a Bogalusa funeral home he was a member of Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church, the Grand Lodge of the State of Louisiana Free and Accepted Masons, Washington Parish Shrine Club, and had the Gold Certificate of Proficiency Carl E. Harrell PM Center Lodge 244 F&AM. He was also a U.S. Army veteran and a member of Magic City American Legion Post 24.