St. John the Baptist Parish is grappling with the aftermath of a hit-and-run that resulted in the death of a 66-year-old bicyclist, as Louisiana State Troopers work to bring closure to the tragic incident. The victim, identified as John Martin of Montz, was found deceased on October 24, along LA 628 near Chaisson Lane, as per a release issued by Troopers with the Louisiana State Police Troop B.
Initial reports revealed Martin was last seen on the evening of October 21 and was reported missing by a family member two days later to the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office. An investigation and autopsy determined that Martin's death was caused by a crash, with evidence placing his body at the scene several days prior to its discovery. Troopers found that Martin had been walking his bicycle when he was fatally hit by a vehicle that did not stop to render aid.
The driver, later identified by investigators as 19-year-old Kyrian Joseph Jr. of Laplace, was allegedly behind the wheel of a 2018 Dodge Charger involved in the fatal collision. With evidence mounting, an arrest warrant was secured from the 40th Judicial District Court on charges of Hit-and-Run Driving. Yesterday, November 3, Joseph Jr. turned himself into authorities and was booked into the St. John the Baptist Parish Jail, the Louisiana State Police Troop B's update explained.
