It was a fateful night for a Lafayette man who police officers say was walking on Ambassador Caffery and was fatally struck by an unknown vehicle that sped away.

According to a press release from LPD, the incident happened around 3:00 a.m. in the 3100 block of Ambassador Caffery Parkway. That's near Golden Corral, WalMart, Sam's Club, and Hooters.

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The victim has been identified as 58-year-old Rodney James Dural of Lafayette. Police say they found him lying dead in the roadway.

If you have any information about this incident, contact Lafayette Police or Lafayette Crime Stoppers at (337) 232-TIPS.

Fighting Fentanyl: Huge Arrests Made Across Acadiana in 2022

The fight against fentanyl is a daunting one as the highly potent drug continues to take lives every day across the country. From Lafayette to the surrounding areas, law enforcement agencies have their hands full as they fight to get fentanly off their respective streets.

The awareness for the fatal causes of fentanyl are there as people across the Acadiana area (and the state) are not only mourning the death of loved ones lost to the substance but are holding memorials and recently worked with legislators to pass "Millie's Law," which increases criminal penalties for those who sale and distribute fentanyl.

Fentanyl has become a leading drug in an epidemic that takes over 100,000 lives each year, according to the CDC. The drug is often added to heroin without it being disclosed to the person buying the drug. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency outlines how dangerous fentanyl has become:

"Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 80-100 times stronger than morphine. Pharmaceutical fentanyl was developed for pain management treatment of cancer patients, applied in a patch on the skin. Because of its powerful opioid properties, Fentanyl is also diverted for abuse. Fentanyl is added to heroin to increase its potency, or be disguised as highly potent heroin. Many users believe that they are purchasing heroin and actually don’t know that they are purchasing fentanyl – which often results in overdose deaths. Clandestinely-produced fentanyl is primarily manufactured in Mexico."


Let's take a look back at headline-catching cases involving fentanyl in 2022.

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This home sits on over 8 acres of land on the Vermilion River and, with 7 bedrooms and 8 bathrooms, it clocks in at over 10,000 square feet.

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