Louisiana Man Dies After Being Thrown from Bicycle in Collision
A terrible tragedy happened Sunday, November 24, as a bicyclist was hit while riding down East Admiral Doyle Drive (Highway 674) and Blanchard Road in New Iberia, according to Louisiana State Police.
State Police Spokeswoman Trooper First Class Peggy Bourque says the victim, 47-year-old Sonephat Souriyakhamphong of New Iberia, was riding his bicycle eastbound near the fog line on East Admiral Doyle Drive. Trooper says the bicycle did not reflectors or rear lights which is required by law.
At the same time that the victim was riding, the driver of a Jeep was going in the same direction on Admiral Doyle Drive and hit the back of Souriyakhamphong's bicycle, and the victim was thrown from the bicycle. Officials say the victim was not wearing a helmet.
This is the preliminary investigation of the crash, and investigators are still working to figure out what caused the Jeep to collide with the bicyclist. Bourque says the bicyclist voluntarily submitted to a breath sample, and there was no alcohol present. The driver of the Jeep was buckled up and was not injured. She adds a blood sample was taken from the victim for routine toxicology testing.
Louisiana State Police officials want to remind everyone that Louisiana law does require bicyclists to have lighting on their bicycles. The rules are as follow:
- Bicyclists must have a white light in the front
- Bicyclists must have a red light in the rear
- Bicyclists rear reflector must be visible from 100 feet away
- Bicyclists side-mounted reflectors must be visible from 100 to 600 feet
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