A 14 year-old boy died after a van hit him from behind as he was riding his bike in the Lee Town community.

The incident took place Friday at about 4:30 p.m. as three kids were riding their bikes on Lee Town Road towards Miss. 43, said Kenny Hurt, Hancock Sheriff’s Department Investigator.

The boy, Jerry W. Poupart III, 14, of 11105 Willis Lee Road in Leetown, was hit about 2.6 miles from Miss. 43 on Lee Town Road as a van traveling the same direction, driven by Eugene D. Porter, 62 of the White Cypress community, struck him from behind. Poupart was taken to Highland Community Hospital where he was pronounced dead, Hurt said.

An incident investigation could not be completed as of Monday due to Hurricane Katrina wiping out most of the department’s accident reconstruction equipment needed to do the investigation, Hurt said. The department is looking for an outside agency to conduct the investigation and hope to have one by early this week.

Drugs or alcohol were not suspected to be involved in the incident, but Porter has submitted blood samples to the department.

No charges have been filed against Porter at press time, Hurt said.