The communities of Baton Rouge and Port Allen are mourning the tragic loss of Taniya Smith, a 24-year-old woman who died in a late-night crash Wednesday in West Baton Rouge Parish.

According to the West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, the fatal single-vehicle crash occurred around 11:30 p.m. along the northbound lanes of Louisiana Highway 1 near the south side of the Intracoastal Canal Bridge.

Emergency crews responded after reports of the collision and arrived to find Smith suffering from fatal injuries. Authorities later confirmed that she died following the crash.

Investigators have not yet publicly released details explaining how the crash occurred or what factors may have caused the vehicle to lose control. Officials remained at the scene for several hours gathering evidence and reconstructing the sequence of events.

Traffic in the area was temporarily affected while emergency personnel worked the scene and cleared the roadway.

News of Smith’s passing has left family members, friends, and loved ones devastated. As word of the tragedy spread throughout Baton Rouge and surrounding communities, messages of sympathy and remembrance began appearing across social media. Many remembered her as a caring and vibrant young woman whose life ended far too soon.

Authorities say the investigation remains ongoing as officials continue examining all possible contributing factors connected to the crash. No additional information has been released at this time.