Man Accused, Arrested of Causing Fatal I-20 Crash in 2020

According to booking information on the WPSO inmate roster, 61-year-old Rickey Darden has been arrested and jailed in Webster Parish. Darden has been accused of causing the 2020 crash that led to the death of Shreveport native Kim Cannon on I-20.

According to previous reporting by KTAL news, Darden was allegedly operating a 2000 International tractor-trailer traveling westbound on I-20 when he failed to slow properly when approaching traffic congestion. He rear-ended Kim Cannon’s Jeep SUV, pushed it into another tractor-trailer, and caused it to overturn, causing Cannon’s injuries and death.

Kim Cannon has been memorialized on I-20’s exit 44 thanks to 2022 Act 57 passed by the Louisiana Legislature. The exit is henceforth known as the “Kim Cannon Memorial Interchange.”

This story highlights the importance of holding big trucks, especially tractor-trailers, accountable. 18-wheelers take much longer to slow down and stop than passenger cars, due to their greater masses. They also strike other vehicles with much greater force for the same reason. A crash that might be survived caused by a passenger vehicle can often turn deadly when a tractor-trailer is involved.