Man Hospitalized after Being Hit by Truck

LONGVIEW — Police in Longview say a local man remains in the hospital after he was hit by a truck. Just before 11:45 Monday evening, police responded to the 2100 block of West Loop 281. On arrival officers found John Elie LeBlanc, 42, lying in the roadway. Witnesses stated LeBlanc was riding his bicycle on the shoulder of the roadway traveling westbound. According to police, for reasons unknown at this time, LeBlanc began to cross the roadway without safety and collided with a pickup in the inside westbound lane. Police say the driver of the truck left the scene.

LeBlanc was transported to Good Shepherd Medical Center in stable condition. The driver of the truck, identified as Cody Wade Smith, 19, of Hallsville, came to the police department later to give a statement. The crash remains under investigation, and criminal charges could be filed at a later date.