MAUREPAS - A 71-year-old man from Ascension Parish was found dead after a 14-hour search of an area waterway overnight.

Eugene Duplessis of Prairieville died after crashing into the Amite River near Old River Road around 1:30 a.m. Friday. State Police said Duplessis lost control of his pickup truck and smashed into a tree as his vehicle entered the Amite River and went underwater.

The wreck happened along a stretch of riverside highway on La. 22 east of Highway 16 in Livingston Parish.

An eyewitness told WBRZ, someone else noticed the bumper of the pickup truck and alerted others to the possibility of trouble. Authorities spent 14 hours searching the river, using divers, and eventually found the pickup truck and Duplessis inside.

State Police said the man was wearing his seatbelt at the time of the crash.

Impairment is suspected, State Police said in a news release.

“Louisiana State Troopers wish to remind motorists making good choices while in motor vehicles such as never driving while impaired, always ensuring every occupant is properly restrained, and avoiding all distractions can often mean the difference between life and death,” State Police said in a prepared statement.