St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana - Louisiana State Police Troop B initiated an investigation into a fatal crash involving a bicyclist on November 7, 2023, around 4:00 p.m. The incident occurred on LA 46 near Port Ship Access Road No1 in Violet, Louisiana, and resulted in the tragic death of Joshua J. Chestnut, a 25-year-old from Metairie, Louisiana.
According to the initial findings, Chestnut was riding his bicycle north on Port Ship Access Road No1 towards the intersection of LA 46 when he unexpectedly turned into the path of an eastbound 2006 Mack dump truck traveling on LA 46. As a result, he sustained severe injuries and was subsequently transported to a local hospital where he passed away.
LSP indicated that while it is uncertain whether Chestnut was impaired at the time of the incident, samples will be collected for testing. Additionally, although there are no suspicions of impairment for the dump truck driver, a voluntary blood sample was taken for analysis. The investigation remains ongoing.
Louisiana State Troopers emphasize that cyclists should never assume that motorists can see them and stress the importance of taking simple precautions such as wearing reflective clothing and avoiding distractions to prevent accidents. Furthermore, they highlight that wearing a protective helmet can significantly reduce the risk of serious injury or death. It is also noted that Louisiana law mandates bicyclists to stay as close to the right side of the roadway as possible and adhere to all traffic regulations.