An accident reconstruction by the Mississippi Highway Patrol shows that a Waveland police officer failed to yield the right-of-way in an accident that caused the death of a Bay St. Louis bicyclist last year.
Cpl. Johnny Poulos released the results on Friday.
Francisco Jesus Mendoza Suarez, 33, died in the Sept. 21 accident.
Patrolman Darryl Russell pulled out of an eastbound turn lane and attempted to cross U.S. 90 toward the far-right emergency lane.
At the time, Suarez was riding a bicycle in the righthand emergency lane.
As the police car crossed the highway, it was struck by a Cadillac Escalade that was also headed east, Poulos told the Sun Herald in September.
The collision caused the Escalade to veer out of control into the emergency lane, striking Suarez.
Poulos said Russell reported he had attempted to cross the road because Suarez resembled the description of a criminal suspect that had been broadcast to police units in the area.
Russell told investigators that his patrol car’s blue emergency lights had been on when he attempted to cross U.S. 90.
Bay St. Louis police said Suarez was not the suspect.
Waveland Police Chief James Varnell said he could not comment on the case because a lawsuit has been filed by Suarez’s family against the city of Waveland, the police department and Russell.
Immediately after the accident, Russell was placed on administrative leave with pay for four weeks but currently is on duty, Varnell said.
The accident occurred just inside the Bay St. Louis city limits.
Russell was in Bay St. Louis because officers must make a U-turn when westbound on U.S. 90 to return to Waveland.
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