A Louisiana man will serve five years of supervised probation and one year of home incarceration after pleading guilty to causing a motorcycle accident that took the life of an Abita Springs man. He will also be required to pay a fine and restitution to the estate of the victim. The motorcycle accident caused the biker's death after he was thrown from the motorcycle.

The man was driving an SUV north when it veered into the cyclist's lane, colliding with the bike. The rider was transported to the hospital but did not survive. The now convicted man then drove away from the scene of the crash but later surrendered to authorities.

He claimed to have fallen asleep and when the accident occurred, he panicked and fled the scene. The charges against him could have landed him in prison for up to 10 years. The victim's family members were in the courtroom when the accused was sentenced. The judge noted the importance of paying attention to the road when driving and how tragic the case turned out for everyone.

When a loved one dies in a motorcycle accident, families want to know the circumstances surrounding the death. Criminal charges are often leveled against someone who causes an accident like this one, but not everyone is convicted. Regardless of what happens in a Louisiana criminal proceeding, a victim's surviving family has the opportunity to seek redress through the filing of a wrongful death claim. This type of legal action is a civil lawsuit and is based upon proof that a fatality was caused by the negligence of another party.

Source: Nola.com, "Man pleads guilty in fatal Mandeville hit and run," Heather Nolan, Dec. 12, 2012