Morgan City man arrested in hit and run that caused serious injuries

Police have arrested a Morgan City man who's accused of hit and run after hitting one motorcycle early Thursday and causing two other motorcycles to crash. Two people received serious injuries.

Justin Cheramie, 39, La. 70, Morgan City, was booked on charges of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, possession of an open alcoholic beverage in a motor vehicle, felony hit and run, possession of a Schedule IV controlled dangerous substance, two counts of first-degree vehicular negligent injury and vehicle negligent injuring.

Around 12:05 a.m. Thursday, officers with the Morgan City Police Department responded to the area of La. 70 near Veterans Boulevard due to a serious hit and run vehicle accident. As officers arrived they learned that the accident involved one truck and three motorcycles and that the truck had fled the scene.

Officers were able to determine that the driver of the truck had crossed the center line and struck one of the motorcycles. As a result of the truck striking one of the motorcycles, two other motorcycles crashed due attempting to avoid the truck, according to the Police Department.

One male driver of a motorcycle who had serious injuries was airlifted to Trauma Center due to his injuries. Another driver was treated at Oschner St. Mary for injuries including broken bones. The third driver was treated at the scene.

Cheramie was determined to be the driver of the truck which fled. He was located a short time later after he called the Morgan City Police Department to report that he had been involved in an accident. Cheramie was located and placed under arrest at which time he was taken to Morgan City Police Department, where he was given a field sobriety test on which he did poorly on. Cheramie then submitted to a chemical test for intoxication with the results of .346 g%. Cheramie was booked into the Morgan City Police Department.