BATON ROUGE - A staffer with the East Baton Rouge Office of the Mayor-President died, according to a statement from Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome.

According to the Baton Rouge Police Department, Simone Pillette, 26, was driving her vehicle on I-12 eastbound around 1 a.m. Sunday when the front driver side tire of her vehicle collided with the rear tire of a Jeep. Pillette's vehicle veered off the roadway, struck a tree and caught fire.

Pillette was Office Manager for the mayor-president and also played a role in the Mayor’s Advisory Council on Veterans Affairs, according to the statement.

"As we mourn this tremendous loss, we remember her as a colleague and dear friend who made every day brighter," Broome said. "Let us honor her memory by continuing the work she was so passionate about and supporting one another as we navigate this loss together. Simone will be deeply missed, but her legacy will remain with us as we move forward."

The crash is under investigation.

A candlelight vigil is being held behind Baton Rouge City Hall at 7 p.m. on Friday, August 23. More information on how to support Pillette's family is listed here: