Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana - A 67-year-old Lake Arthur man, Peter "Pete" Doland, was sentenced to a suspended prison term and supervised probation after pleading no contest to a hit-and-run incident that resulted in the death of a 73-year-old cyclist from Welsh.

According to court records, Doland was sentenced by Ad Hoc Judge Ward Fontenot to a three-year suspended prison term, five years of supervised probation, and a $1,000 fine. The sentence comes after Doland pleaded no contest to felony hit-and-run driving and misdemeanor careless operation charges in September.

The incident occurred in 2022 when Doland struck a cyclist from behind on LA 1126 and drove off, leaving the victim, Jerry Hughes, 73, to succumb to his injuries. State police investigated the crash and later identified Doland as the driver.

Jefferson Davis Parish District Attorney Lauren Heinen expressed disappointment with the sentence, stating that her office had advocated for the maximum sentence of 10 years, with a minimum of five years to be served in prison. Heinen acknowledged the judicial process but emphasized that the gravity of the circumstances warranted a more severe penalty.

Despite the sentence, Heinen noted that the family of the victim may find some comfort in knowing that Doland was forced to acknowledge his guilt in the crime that resulted in the loss of their loved one.

Doland, a former Lake Arthur fireman and emergency medical technician, initially pleaded not guilty to the charges but changed his plea to no contest in September.