On the morning of July 7, a man walked into a police station. His vehicle sustained damage when he “hit something” on Highway 92 earlier that morning. When the Louisiana State Police went to the area indicated by the driver, they ended up investigating a fatal accident.
Louisiana State Police troopers found a man lying in a ditch. It appeared he was riding a bicycle at the time he was hit. According to the coroner’s office, the bicycle rider died as the result of drowning. Further details of the fatal accident were not provided. Troopers are not sure whether the sun had come up by the time of the collision or if the driver actually knew that his vehicle struck a person.
However, there was enough evidence between an examination of the vehicle and the scene to convince authorities that this was more than just an accident. The driver was taken into custody on numerous charges, including negligent homicide, felony hit-and-run and others. At last report, the man was being held at the Lafayette Parish jail.
It may give the family of the victim some solace that the man believed to be responsible for the death of their loved one is in custody. In addition, the family retains the right to file a wrongful death claim in connection with this fatal accident. If the family is able to prove to the court that the driver was negligent in a way that caused or contributed to the victim’s death, the family may be awarded damages allowable under state laws such as funeral and burial expenses and pain and suffering.
Source: katc.com, “Coroner: Bicyclist drowned following hit-and-run”, , July 24, 2014