17-year-old Arabi boy on a bicycle killed when struck by a motorist while crossing East Judge Perez Drive

A 17-year-old Arabi boy riding a bicycle was struck by a motorist Monday, May 20, when he tried to cross East Judge Perez Drive in the Meraux area and died later at a hospital, Louisiana State Police said.

Chase Naquin of Arabi was hit about 1:40 p.m. and died after being brought to University Hospital in New Orleans, authorities said.

Preliminary investigation indicated the teen-ager, riding a mountain bicycle near Deer Creek Street, was heading west on the eastbound shoulder of Louisiana 39 against traffic and for unknown reasons turned into the eastbound lanes of travel, State Police said in a release.

He was struck in the left lane of the highway by a 2006 Ford Fusion driven by Katy Alfonso, 30, of Violet, State Police said.

Naquin was transported to the hospital with serious injuries and was pronounced dead at approximately 9 p.m., authorities said. Alfonso wasn’t injured.

Speed and impairment are not considered factors of the crash, State Police said. The crash remains under investigation.

According to Louisiana law, State Police said, bicycles must travel in the same direction as traffic and obey all traffic laws.