A 69-year-old Iberville Parish man died after he was struck by a pickup truck while retrieving his mail along Louisiana Highway 75, just south of LA 404, on Monday afternoon. James Berthelot was taken to a hospital and later died from his injuries, according to officials.
The crash happened shortly before 4 p.m. Monday when a 2024 Chevrolet Silverado traveling south on LA 75 struck Berthelot near the southbound shoulder, according to Louisiana State Police. Troopers said Berthelot was in the roadway retrieving his mail at the time of the collision. The Iberville Parish Coroner's Office identified him as James Berthelot. The crash occurred along LA 75 near the Bayou Pigeon Library, according to WBRZ.
The truck driver was not injured, per state police, and investigators have not disclosed whether impairment was a suspected factor in the crash. The investigation remains ongoing.
Toxicology Samples Collected, Fault Not Yet Determined
In an official news release, Louisiana State Police Troop A public affairs spokesperson Trooper Shelby Mayfield said toxicology samples from Berthelot and the Silverado driver would be obtained and submitted for analysis, according to Louisiana State Police. The agency said impairment was unknown. The investigation continues.
Troop A is investigating the crash that killed Berthelot.
Under Louisiana Revised Statute § 32:214, every driver on a state roadway is legally obligated to exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian and must sound a horn warning when necessary, according to the Louisiana State Legislature. That standard offers a legal backdrop for the crash, though investigators have not yet said whether vehicle speed, driver distraction, or where Berthelot stood in the lane played a decisive role.
Pedestrian Safety in Louisiana
Louisiana lost almost 1,000 pedestrians over six years, according to WBRZ.
Whether distraction played any role in Monday's crash has not been determined, and the investigation into Berthelot's death continues.
