Louisiana Tragedy Unfolds After a Motorcycle Collides with a Vehicle

Louisiana State Police investigators were called out to the scene of a serious crash involving a motorcycle and a vehicle in which the motorcycle rider later died from his injuries.

Trooper First Class Tiah Larvadain with the Public Affairs section of State Police says the preliminary investigation found that a motorcycle was southbound on Louisiana Highway 24 at a high rate of speed when another vehicle coming from the eastbound side of the roadway approached. Larvadain says they do not know why the motorcycle didn't stop before colliding with the vehicle at the intersection of Louisiana Highway 24 and Louisiana Highway 311.

The motorcycle rider, 19-year-old Gabe Gautreaux of Thibodaux, was wearing a DOT approved helmet, but he received serious injuries. The young man was taken to the hospital but Louisiana State Police officials later learned he had died from his injuries.

As is typical in these cases, Louisiana State Police gathered toxicology samples to be examined at a lab. The driver of the vehicle, according to Larvadain, displayed no signs of impairment and agreed to the voluntary breath analysis which showed no alcohol was present. The driver of the car was wearing a seat belt and was not injured.

While the crash remains under investigation, Louisiana State Police officials have the following recommendations:

• No matter the mode of transportation, all drivers are asked to make safe and responsible decisions
• Speeding decreases a driver's reaction time
• Speeding increased the stopping distance between your vehicle and another
• Speeding heightens the chances of you losing control of your vehicle
• Speeding reduces the effectiveness of safety devices like helmets and seat belts

In addition to these tips, Louisiana's Department of Public Safety offers motorcycle operator training courses for beginners to advanced riders. Visit https://lsp.org/services/training/motorcycle-safety/ to find out more information.

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