On Monday, October 24, 2017, at approximately 5:00 pm, a motorist driving a gray Dodge Durango SUV attacked a University of New Orleans student, Timothy Walls, who was riding his bicycle home from class. The incident occurred as Walls rode his bicycle southbound on Elysian Fields and neared the intersection with Filmore Avenue in New Orleans, Louisiana. Charlie Thomas of Bike Law Louisiana has intervened to assist with this incident.
As Walls rode in the right-hand lane of the roadway, the driver began honking and pulled alongside of Walls. The driver then told Walls to get out of the roadway and onto the sidewalk. Walls responded that he was riding in accordance with Louisiana law and in the part of the roadway where bicycle “sharrows” were painted. The driver then swerved his SUV directly at Walls, who avoided being struck by also swerving into the roadway’s shoulder. The driver sped ahead and pulled over into the parking lot of a business. As Walls rode up to the parking lot, he pulled out his cell phone and began recording the event. The video shows the driver exit the vehicle, approach Walls, and punch him in the face. The video stops before recording the remainder of the attack. Following this incident, the driver returned to the SUV and fled the scene. Walls reported the incident to the New Orleans Police Department, which has opened an investigation.
Charlie Thomas, who is also Vice-President of the Board of Bike Easy, stated, “The New Orleans Police Department has indicated that this investigation is a priority and we should be able to publicly release the name of the driver shortly.” Thomas continued, “This incident should serve as a reminder that all roadway users should show respect and common courtesy for each other, regardless of your method of transit.”
Walls suffered injuries and is currently seeking medical treatment. At this time, the driver’s information is known but not being released pending the investigation.
For information as it relates to Mr. Walls, Bike Law or this incident please contact:
Charlie Thomas
[email protected]
504-274-2500
Charlie is a bicycle accident lawyer in Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi and a member of the Bike Law Network.
Having served as the president of the Texas A&M Cycling Team, where he led the team in appearances in the U.S. Collegiate National Championships, Charlie has spent thousands of hours riding his bicycle in Texas.
