A former Lake Arthur fireman and emergency medical technician has been sentenced after pleading no contest in a hit-and-run involving the death of a 73-year-old bicyclist from Welsh.

Peter “Pete” Doland, 67, was sentenced Monday to a three year suspended prison term and placed on five years supervised probation with conditions for felony hit-and-run driving. Doland was also sentenced to pay a fine on a misdemeanor careless operation charge,

Doland originally pleaded not guilty, but changed his plea to no contest in September.

Doland is accused of striking 73-year-old Jerry Hughes, of Welsh, from behind with his SUV as Hughes was riding his bicycle eastbound on La. 1126, just west of Farm Supply Road, around 8:30 a.m. on June 6, 2022. Doland failed to render aid to Hughes who died as a result of the impact.

Doland and his attorney contend that he thought he had hit a sign or some other object and did not know he had struck Hughes.

Read more on the sentencing, including an apology from Doland to the family and a statement from the victim’s family in Tuesday’s American Press.