Henderson — Failure to keep a proper lookout — inattention or distraction — is apparently what caused a fatal accident in Henderson Lake near the I-10 landing, said Capt. Lastie Cormier of the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

LDWF is the investigating agency on the May 3 mishap, which claimed the life of 39-year-old Larry Woods of Lafayette. The boat in which Woods was a passenger struck one of the interstate's concrete pylons at high speed about a quarter of a mile from the ramp.

The accident occurred around 6:40 p.m. in clear weather. Alcohol was not a factor, he said.

Rumors that the boat's steering was defective or that the drain plug was not in place are untrue, Cormier said.

The boat's operator, Steve Wilson, 37, of Lafayette, was hospitalized in Lafayette.