Numerous unanswered questions remain regarding an apparent act of vengeance against a man on a bicycle. Police arrested the Louisiana man believed to be responsible for the bicycle vs. car accident, which was allegedly deliberate. As the driver was taken into custody, the bicyclist was taken to an area hospital to be treated for the injuries he suffered in the crash.
Fortunately, the man whose fence the rider ended up on was home. He went outside when he heard the crash and told his wife to call 911. While waiting for emergency responders to arrive, the injured man said that he was not hit by accident.
Reportedly, the driver of the vehicle admitted to hitting the bicycle rider because he believed that the rider had attempted to break into his Jeep. After receiving a phone call about the supposed attempted theft, he got into his Jeep and attempted to locate the supposed perpetrator. When he found him, he first claimed that hitting the rider was an accident. Evidence at the scene, however, contradicted that claim. Police said that the man was taken into custody after giving officers conflicting accounts of the events.
As the bicycle rider recovers from the injuries he suffered in the car accident, he will most likely incur lost wages, medical expenses and other damages. He retains the right to file a personal injury claim against the driver in a Louisiana civil court. The results of the criminal proceedings may provide useful evidence toward proving negligence in civil court if prosecutors secure a conviction in connection with the crash. Proving negligence could lead to an award of damages to help the victim with his recovery.
Source: theadvocate.com, “Man rammed Jeep into bicyclist he suspected of theft, police believe“, Matt Sledge, Oct. 23, 2015
