Early one morning in June 2025, Errol Deville of Eunice was riding his motorized bicycle on La. 3149 in Evangeline Parish. Deville was riding in a northbound lane when a car that was behind him in the same line of traffic struck the rear of his bike, causing him to be ejected. The driver of the other vehicle, which has not been identified, left the scene without calling for assistance. Deville died of his injuries at the scene of the accident. He was 55 years old. He was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. Leaving the scene of an accident resulting in injury or death is a felony in Louisiana, and the driver could face criminal charges for hit and run and vehicular manslaughter, among other charges. Deville’s family still has the right to file a civil lawsuit against any parties responsible for the accident, even if no one gets criminal charges, or if any criminal cases associated with the accident end in acquittal. If you were injured in a hit-and-run accident, whether you were riding a motorized bike or any other kind of vehicle, contact a Houma car accident lawyer.
Do Motorized Bikes Count Legally as Bicycles or as Motorcycles?
Louisiana law recognizes motorized bicycles as their own category, separate from bicycles and motorcycles. The laws regulating the operation of motorized bicycles are more similar to motorcycle laws than they are to bicycle laws. The legal definition of a motorcycle bicycle in Louisiana is that it has an automatic transmission and a motorized engine of 50cc or less, and its speed does not exceed 25 miles per hour.
You must be at least 15 years old to operate a motorized bike in Louisiana, and you must hold a valid driver’s license or learner’s permit with a motorcycle endorsement. The vehicle registration for motorized bicycles is the same as for motorcycles. Motorbikes must have one rear reflector and at least one headlight, but not two. The law requires you to wear a helmet when operating a motorized bike.
Determining Legal Responsibility for Motorized Bicycle Accidents
Pursuant to Louisiana’s comparative fault laws, insurance companies and courts can divide the responsibility for a motor vehicle accident, including motorized bicycle accidents, between two or more parties. You can recover compensation for your accident-related medical expenses if the accident was partially your fault, but the compensation you can receive only accounts for the portion of fault that was not yours. In the case of Deville’s accident, the driver who struck him from the rear must have seen him and must have known that his vehicle was a motorized bike that cannot exceed 25 miles per hour, so most of the fault was the rear driver’s. The court might attribute some of the fault to Deville, since he was not wearing a helmet; it might reason that he would have had a better chance of survival if he had worn one.
Contact the Law Office of Patrick H. Yancey About Personal Injury Cases
A personal injury lawyer can help you if you were injured in a motorized bike accident. Contact the Law Office of Patrick H. Yancey in Houma, Louisiana, to set up a consultation about your case.
Sources
https://www.katc.com/evangeline-parish/lsp-asking-for-help-to-solve-fatal-hit-and-run
(985) 313-9791
