A late-night bike ride on Old Covington Highway turned deadly just after midnight Monday, when a driver struck a Hammond man and kept going, according to deputies. Authorities identified the victim as 32-year-old Shawn Paul Schech, who died from his injuries at the scene of the crash. Investigators with the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office have opened a fatal hit-and-run investigation and are now working to track down the driver who left him in the roadway.
What investigators say
According to the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office, detectives believe the vehicle that hit Schech never stopped and continued eastbound in the same direction he was riding. The suspect vehicle is believed to be a maroon 2013–2015 Toyota Avalon, and the sheriff’s office has released a photo of a similar model and color to jog memories.
"We need all motorists to remember to share the road with bicyclists," Sheriff Gerald Sticker said, underscoring the department’s frustration that the driver took off instead of calling for help.
How to help
Deputies are asking the public to help fill in the blanks. Anyone with information is urged to call TPSO's Traffic Division at 985-748-8147. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through Crime Stoppers of Tangipahoa at 1-800-554-5245 or via its website, as reported by WDSU. Tipsters who go through Crime Stoppers may be eligible for a cash reward.
Legal consequences
In Louisiana, taking off after a serious crash is not just callous, it is a felony. State law lays out specific penalties for hit-and-run driving that causes injury or death. Per the text of Justia, drivers convicted in a fatal hit-and-run face fines and prison terms ranging from two to ten years, with possible enhanced sentences of up to 20 years in certain circumstances.
What investigators are asking
Detectives say video could be the missing piece. The TPSO release includes a photo of a similar Toyota Avalon and asks residents and businesses along Old Covington Highway to check any overnight footage from home-surveillance systems or dash-cams.
As outlined by the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office, even a brief clip showing a maroon sedan in the area around the time of the crash could help them zero in on the vehicle and the driver who left the scene.
