SORRENTO - Investigators say speed is a suspected factor in an I-10 crash near Sorrento that took the lives of a pair of California residents and hospitalized another Wednesday night.

Louisiana State Police say the crash happened in the eastbound lanes of I-10 east of LA 22 in Ascension Parish at around 6:30 p.m. 25-year-old James Rodgers, of San Jacinto, California, and 58-year-old Wanda Kinchloe of Hemet, CA died in the wreck. A third passenger in the truck was hospitalized, but has not been identified.

State Police reported the crash happened as Rodgers was traveling at a high rate of speed while attempting to make an abrupt lane change in a Ford pickup truck. During the lane change, Rodgers failed to maintain control of his pickup truck, which ran off the right side of the roadway and hit a tree.

Rodgers was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, but he sustained fatal injuries. The rear passenger was not wearing a seatbelt and was also killed. The front seat passenger was wearing a seatbelt and survived the crash. That passenger is currently in an area hospital being treated for serious injuries. Rodgers and the rear passenger were both pronounced dead at the scene of the wreck by the Ascension Parish Coroner’s Office.

Troopers took a toxicology sample from Rodgers for submission to the LSP Crime Lab for analysis. There was no word from State Police as to whether impairment is also suspected as a factor in the crash.

The identity of the deceased passenger has yet to be released as State Police are in the process of contacting the victim’s family.