A 28-year-old St. Francisville motorcyclist died after a Chevrolet Tahoe turned across his lane on US 61 near West Feliciana Parkway on September 21, 2026, according to Louisiana State Police. Troopers arrested the Tahoe’s driver after the collision.
The preliminary account describes a U-turn from the right lane across the motorcycle’s path. The turn, and the time the rider had to respond, are central to understanding this crash.
The Tahoe Turned Across the Left Lane, Troopers Say
Troop A began investigating shortly before 6:30 p.m. State Police said the 2002 Tahoe was northbound in the right lane while a 1998 Honda Shadow motorcycle traveled north in the left lane. The Tahoe’s driver attempted a U-turn to head south, and the motorcycle struck the SUV’s driver side.
The rider was wearing a DOT-approved helmet. He was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries and died there. The release identifies him by age and hometown, but does not give his name.
Troopers identified the Tahoe’s driver as Andre Jones, 40, of Vicksburg, Mississippi. He suffered minor injuries; two passengers were uninjured. State Police said impairment was not suspected and that routine toxicology samples would be collected. Testing is not itself evidence of impairment.
WAFB and Vicksburg Daily News also covered the collision, drawing their crash accounts from State Police.
The Timing of the Turn Matters
A description of the U-turn tells us where the investigation starts. It does not establish the distance between the vehicles when the Tahoe began turning, whether the driver signaled, or how much room the rider had to avoid the impact.
The damage to both vehicles, the impact location and any braking marks may help reconstruct that sequence. Video or a witness who saw the approach could be particularly useful. Neither should be assumed to exist, and a vehicle’s electronic capabilities should be checked before promising that it recorded the answers.
The helmet information addresses protection during the collision. It does not explain why the Tahoe entered the motorcycle’s lane.
An Arrest Does Not Resolve the Civil Claim
State Police reported that Jones was booked for negligent homicide, careless operation, no insurance and a window-tint violation. Those are allegations. He is presumed innocent unless proved guilty.
Louisiana’s careless-operation statute requires careful and prudent driving. A civil claim would examine what the driver actually did and whether that conduct caused the collision. It is not decided simply by the booking charges.
The reported no-insurance charge raises a separate practical question: what coverage was in force? The Tahoe’s ownership and policies need to be checked. The motorcyclist’s policies may also matter. Louisiana’s uninsured and underinsured motorist statute can provide protection when another driver has no applicable liability insurance or insufficient coverage, but eligibility and any valid coverage selection or rejection must be reviewed.
Preserve Both Vehicles Before They Are Altered
The useful first steps are specific: obtain the Troop A report number, locate the Tahoe and motorcycle, and request that they be preserved before repair or disposal. Keep witness information and any original photographs or recordings. Those steps protect the ability to examine the turn rather than leaving the claim to competing recollections.
Insurance policies, medical records and funeral expenses should be kept together. A family should understand which claims a proposed release would settle before signing it.
For help with a fatal motorcycle collision, evidence preservation or insurance questions, contact Babcock Injury Lawyers.
Sources
- Louisiana State Police: West Feliciana Parish motorcycle crash, September 22, 2026
- WAFB: Arrest after the fatal US 61 motorcycle crash
- Vicksburg Daily News: Report on the crash and arrest
- La. R.S. 32:58: Careless operation
- La. R.S. 22:1295: Uninsured motorist coverage
Editorial & Legal Accuracy Notice (Louisiana)
The crash account is based on the State Police release and linked reporting. It remains preliminary; the cited sources do not provide a completed reconstruction or a final disposition of the charges. This article is general information, not advice about a particular claim.