Louisiana Bicyclist Dies on Acadiana Road in Iberia Parish

Officials with Louisiana State Police say an Opelousas man was killed while riding his bicycle on a frontage road in Iberia Parish Monday morning.

Louisiana State Police Troop I spokesman Thomas Gossen says the deadly crash happened on the frontage road near Highway 90 around Darnall Road.

What investigators have determined with their initial investigation is that 59-year-old Leland Schouest was riding his bicycle in the westbound direction, but he was in the eastbound lane of traffic. The driver of a truck was driving eastbound on the frontage road.

For reasons that are still being investigated, Gossen says Schouest's bicycle turned towards the center of the eastbound lane at the same time the driver of the truck turned his vehicle to the left trying to avoid hitting Schouest.

As impact happened, Gossen says Schouest was thrown from the bicycle and then he was pronounced dead by the Iberia Parish Coroner's Office.

The driver of the truck did submit to a breath test to check for impairment which showed no alcohol present according to Gossen. Additionally, the man showed no other signs of impairment.

This situation all unfolded at around 6:45 a.m. Monday. Gossen says this fatal crash is still under investigation.

Gossen says Louisiana State Police want to remind those who ride bicycles have to obey all traffic laws just like those operating vehicles on our roadways. He also says unless a bicyclist is turning left or trying to pass a vehicle, they must stay as close to the right-hand side of the road as possible.

This is the 16th fatality that Louisiana State Police Troop I has investigated since the start of 2024.