Melville’s Democrat Mayor Velma D. Hendrix, who was running for reelection in the Nov. 8 midterms, died in a car crash just a few hours before the polls were to close.
When they approached an intersection, an incoming 2015 Ram 2500 pickup, driven by Michael Cook of Columbia, Louisiana, failed to yield and ended up striking the passenger side of the Acura.
“Hendrix was the rear left seat passenger in the Acura. She was unrestrained at the time of the crash and was transported to a local hospital in critical condition where she ultimately succumbed to her injuries,” according to the release.
“The driver of the Acura, who was restrained, and three additional passengers (seat belt usage unknown) all suffered moderate to critical injuries and were transported to local hospitals for treatment.”
Though Cook was also unrestrained, he suffered no injuries. A breath sample test indicated no alcohol in his system and he showed no signs of impairment. The police cited him for “failure to yield from a stop sign” and “no seat belt.” The Acura driver’s routine toxicology sample has been submitted for analysis.
Tragic Accident
In the mid-1990s to early 2000s, Hendrix served on the Melville town’s board of Aldermen. In 2018, she was elected as the town’s mayor after garnering 70 percent of the vote.“Speaking to the people in that area they’re just shocked,” he said. “It’s tragic. The community is a small community and they’re mourning the loss of their mayor.”
In the Tuesday election, Hendrix was running against challengers Sheila Londerno and Caretta Robertson, both Democrats. At 100 percent reporting, Londerno was projected to win the race with over 43 percent votes, with Hendrix securing only around 17 percent of the votes.
