Iberia Parish, Louisiana - On March 19, 2024, just before 6:30 a.m., the Louisiana State Police Troop I received a report about a collision between a vehicle and a cyclist on Louisiana Highway 88 close to Labit Road. Unfortunately, the crash resulted in the death of Shannon Jude Viator, a 51-year-old resident of New Iberia, Louisiana.

The initial inquiry showed that a 2022 Ram pickup truck was driving west on LA 88. Meanwhile, Viator was riding a bicycle in the same direction when he was hit from behind by the Ram in the westbound lane. Authorities indicated that Viator was wearing dark clothing and his bicycle did not have any lights or reflectors.

Viator sustained severe injuries and was declared dead at the scene by the Iberia Parish Coroner's Office. The driver of the Ram was wearing their seatbelt and did not suffer any injuries.

Samples for toxicology testing were taken from both Viator and the driver of the Ram. It is uncertain if Viator was impaired. No impairment is believed to be present in the Ram driver. The toxicology results are still pending, and the cause of the crash is still being looked into.

According to Louisiana state law (LRS 32:329.1), bicycles must have a white front light and red rear light that can be seen from at least 500 feet away. A rear reflector should be visible from 100 feet, and side-mounted reflectors should be visible from 100 to 600 feet. These lights and reflectors are necessary for riding at night or in low-light conditions to improve visibility.

To learn more about staying safe while biking, you can check out the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission's website by following this link.

So far in 2024, Troop I has investigated 10 deadly crashes that led to the loss of 10 lives.