A 33-year-old bicyclist died Sunday after he was hit by an SUV on Stafford Road in St. Tammany Parish, according to Louisiana State Police. James W. Bowie of Covington died at the scene near the highway's intersection with Smith Road.

State Police said Bowie, who was dressed in dark clothing and not wearing a helmet, was biking in the northbound lane near the center line when a Chevrolet Blazer traveling north hit him. The driver of the SUV was uninjured, and a breath sample was below the legal alcohol limit, State Police said.

Troopers began investigating the crash at about 12 a.m.

The bicycle did not have rear lights or reflectors, State Police said. A toxicology sample was collected from Bowie.

In a news release Sunday, a spokesperson for the State Police urged cyclists to use appro

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