St. Tammany Parish, LA — November 6, 2024, 38-year-old pedestrian Jonathan Janise was hit and killed by a commercial truck on U.S. Highway 90 in St. Tammany Parish.
Authorities say the incident happened around 2:30 a.m. on U.S. 190 near Park Place Drive. Preliminary investigation suggests Jonathan Janise entered the highway’s eastbound lanes from the median as a Peterbilt semi-truck passed through. The truck hit Janise in the roadway, causing fatal injuries.
The investigation is ongoing. No further information is currently available.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
In my experience people are often quick to write accidents like this one off, saying that a pedestrian takes a significant risk by walking on a highway. It’s true that’s a dangerous place for those on foot, but I don’t think anyone believes that gives drivers free rein to hit them. The law is far more nuanced, so prudent investigators must consider how ultimately avoidable an accident like this was.
Put simply, all drivers have an obligation to avoid any accident they can. Moreover, professional drivers are expected to exercise an even greater standard of care than civilians. That’s why further investigation is needed to determine exactly where the pedestrian was, what he was doing, where he came from, how visible he was (or should have been), how fast the truck was traveling, what the driver was doing just before the collision, and many other factors. If evidence shows the accident could have been prevented or avoided, then more work is needed to find out exactly why that didn’t happen.
Until careful and comprehensive efforts have found the whole story and all its details, it’s best not to jump to any conclusions. That man’s loved ones deserve clear answers, even if all they provide is some closure. I hope authorities will deliver that before all is said and done.
