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Half-million dollar bond set for suicidal teen who killed beloved woman in fiery crash

4 years 8 months 4 days ago Wednesday, July 24 2019 Jul 24, 2019 July 24, 2019 2:33 PM July 24, 2019 in News
Source: WBRZ

BATON ROUGE - A teen charged in a deadly overnight crash reportedly told officers that God wanted him to die and that he was going 90 miles per hour just before he crashed.

The crash was first reported just before 10 p.m. at the intersection of Siegen Lane and Perkins Road. Stephanie Payne, 51, was killed in the collision.

Louisiana State Police say Payne was stopped at the intersection in a 2013 Nissan Rogue as 18-year-old Jack Jordan was driving northbound in a Toyota pick-up truck. Jordan sped through the intersection and struck Payne's vehicle at high speed, causing it to burst into flames. 

Payne was seriously injured in the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene. Payne's family underwent another tragedy less than three years ago when her daughter died from septic shock. Payne had since started a travel blog in which she discussed loss and coping. Her last post was made just a few hours before she died.

Jordan told state police he intentionally caused the crash. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment. He was then taken to LSP's Troop A for processing, where he attempted to escape.

Arrest records say Jordan claimed he accelerated into the other vehicle because God had instructed him to kill himself. He said the last speed he noticed on his speedometer was 90 miles per hour.

Impairment is not suspected to be a factor, but toxicology samples were obtained for analysis. Both drivers were properly restrained at the time of the crash.

Jordan was charged with second-degree murder, reckless operation, and simple escape. His bond has been set at $502,000.

Tuesday evening, Jordan's mother released the following statement to WBRZ:

"There are no words to express our family's remorse and sorrow for what has happened and for Ms. Payne's and her family's loss. We are only just learning about what a wonderful person she was and know that she will be missed. We love our son and we will trust in our faith to help us understand why such a tragic thing has happened. Please understand that this is all we can say at this time."

The crash remains under investigation. 

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