By Stephen Hemelt
L’Observateur

GARYVILLE — A St. James Parish man is asking for the public’s help to find the driver of an SUV who caused him to wreck last month, forcing surgery and lost income due to injury-induced work leave.

Isaac Bourgeois III of Paulina was riding his motorcycle at approximately 6:15 p.m. May 21 near the intersection of River Road and Historic Main Street, when he said a silver or gray Nissan Armada disregarded the stop sign at Main Street and turned onto River Road Westbound in front of him, causing him to go down on his bike.

Bourgeois said the Armada never struck him, but his resulting fall from the bike caused an ankle fracture, dislocated foot, broken femur, additional fractures and road rash.

He was taken to River Parishes Hospital and eventually moved to Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center.

“I’m looking but had no idea this guy wasn’t going to stop,” Bourgeois said this week while struggling to move around with a cast and crutches. “He had tinted windows, so I don’t even know if the guy saw me. I remember the SUV being silver or gray and him coming within two feet of hitting me.”

A report from the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office said video surveillance from Mike’s Food Store in Garyville shows the driver of the Armada ignoring the stop sign and proceeding onto River Road, causing the wreck.

The driver is described as a black male, wearing a white shirt and brown pants. The video did not provide a view of the Armada’s license plate number, authorities said.

“I would be interested in putting up a reward with Crimestoppers for whoever can come up with the person or identify him,” Bourgeois said.

As a crane operator in St. James Parish, Bourgeois said he has not received any income since the wreck because he has been told by doctors to stay off his leg for two months.

“I climb up a flight of stairs, maybe 60 or 70 stairs to my job,” he said.

“I filled out a disability form. I have not received anything as of yet. I’m just asking for information on that incident. If anybody saw or can describe the male, there is a reward.”

Anyone with information regarding the wreck is encouraged to call the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office TIPS line at 985-359-TIPS or Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111.