Motorcyclist riding wrong way on Hwy. 90 among two killed in Houma area crashes

Two people died and two others were injured in separate crashes April 15 in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes, including a motorcyclist who was riding the wrong way on U.S. 90, Louisiana State Police reported.

In the first crash, 73-year-old Robert Miller of Morgan City died after the 2018 Jeep Cherokee he was driving veered off Hwy. 311 about a mile north of Savanne Road and struck a tree, Troop C stated in a news release.

Miller was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which occurred just before 4 p.m. as he was heading north along the two-lane highway.

A passenger in the Jeep was taken to an out-of-area hospital with what police described as moderate injuries.

Both Miller and the passenger were wearing seat belts, Troopers said. A toxicology sample, required in all fatal crashes, was taken from Miller, and results are pending.

The second crash occurred just after 11 p.m. along Hwy. 90 near Catfish Lane in Lafourche Parish.

James Derouen, 28, of New Iberia, was riding a 2006 Kawasaki Vulcan the wrong way in the left westbound lane when he collided head-on with a 2020 Ford F-250 pickup that was traveling west.

Derouen was thrown from the motorcycle and was pronounced dead at the scene. The pickup's driver was wearing a seat belt and suffered minor injuries, police said.

A toxicology sample was collected from Derouen; results are pending, State Police said. The truck's driver was not suspected of being impaired and provided a voluntary toxicology sample that is also awaiting analysis.