Authorities have not revealed the results of testing to determine whether alcohol or drugs were a factor in a fatal roadway accident in New Orleans that occurred as Mardi Gras celebrations were underway. The accident killed two bicyclists and injured six other people.
One of the city’s biggest Mardi Gras events, the Endymion parade, was happening not far away from the scene of the accident. A witness reports seeing a dark sports car hit three bicyclists, one male and two female, when the driver allegedly swerved into the bike lane while speeding to pass another automobile. Two of the bicyclists, the man and one of the women, died as a result of the collision. Authorities have yet to release their identities, but both were reportedly about 30 years old.
The sports car allegedly crashed into another vehicle after speeding off down the block, spinning out and coming to rest in the median shortly thereafter. Bystanders stopped the driver, reportedly under the impression that the accident only involved one vehicle, in an attempt to assist him. Their intervention helped authorities to apprehend the driver more quickly.
In addition to the two fatalities, a total of six people, ranging in age from 28 to 65, received injuries in the accident. One of the injured refused medical treatment; the rest traveled in the care of EMS to the hospital.
While it is unclear whether the driver had been participating in Mardi Gras activities, the annual festival can be a hazardous time to be on the road, and bicyclists are always at an increased risk of injury in a collision compared with the driver of a car. Bicyclists and pedestrians injured in auto accidents may wish to consult an attorney.
