http://www.dailycomet.com/article/20150506/articles/150509719?tc=ar
A bicyclist struck and killed Tuesday by a hit-and-run driver along Grand Caillou Road would have celebrated his 46th birthday Wednesday, family members said.
Police are still searching for the driver who killed Robert Clowder Jr., of 102 Sterling Drive, Houma.
His sister, Lena Clowder, 29, of Dulac, said she was "in shock" when she first heard the news Tuesday afternoon and tried to find out where his body had been taken.
"My other brother told me, 'Call Terrebonne General, call Chabert," she said. "But when we got to the scene, the ambulance wouldn't even pick up Robbie because he was already dead."
Robert Clowder was riding his bike north on the highway's southbound shoulder near the Terrebonne Parish jail when a vehicle struck him head-on, throwing him into a ditch, State Police Troop C spokesman Evan Harrell said.
He was probably on his way to buy groceries at the Dollar General store at 2693 Grand Caillou Road, his sister said.
State Police are still uncertain about when the crash occurred, but troopers discovered Robert Clowder's lifeless body about noon Tuesday, Harrell said. He was last seen leaving his house about 8:45 p.m. Monday.
"We collected some vehicle debris at the scene and are trying to match the make and model, along with video from the area," Harrell said Tuesday. "The only thing we have as of now is that it is most likely a light-colored pickup truck with right front damage to the headlight and possibly a missing right-side mirror."
The unknown driver is charged with hit-and-run driving, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Although Lena Clowder said her brother used to own a truck, he started riding a bicycle after he moved into a rented trailer on Sterling Drive at the beginning of the year. He would often use the bike to run errands north of Ashland, she added.
Robert Clowder was starting to get back on his feet after going through a rough patch in his life where he lost most of his money and possessions, she said.
"He was a very hard-working man. He would give you the shirt off his back," she said.
He primarily worked at a Dulac seafood store and dock but was also known in the area for his mechanical and welding skills, she said.
Jessica Frederick, 37, of Dulac, said she mostly remembers Robert Clowder through interactions with her husband, who was a co-worker at the seafood store and a close friend.
"He was always working on motors. I called him a 'grease monkey,'" Frederick said. "He did whatever he had to do to make a dollar."
Robert Clowder leaves behind a teenage son, three sisters and a brother. His son is in the custody of his former wife, Lena Clowder said.
The Clowder family plans to put up a cross in Robert Clowder's honor at the crash site.
A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at KC Hall in Dulac. A fund set up to help with related costs, including Robert's memorial, can be accessed at http://www.gofundme.com/tud6p8rk.
Anyone with information about the hit-and-run driver is asked to call Troop C at 857-3680 or Bayou Region Crime Stoppers at (800) 743-7433.
Staff Writer Maki Somosot can be reached at 857-2208 or maki.somosot@houmatoday.com. Follow Maki on Twitter at @mdlbsomosot.
Although Lena Clowder said her brother used to own a truck, he started riding a bicycle after he moved into a rented trailer on Sterling Drive at the beginning of the year. He would often use the bike to run errands north of Ashland, she added.
Robert Clowder was starting to get back on his feet after going through a rough patch in his life where he lost most of his money and possessions, she said.
"He was a very hard-working man. He would give you the shirt off his back," she said.
He primarily worked at a Dulac seafood store and dock but was also known in the area for his mechanical and welding skills, she said.
Jessica Frederick, 37, of Dulac, said she mostly remembers Robert Clowder through interactions with her husband, who was a co-worker at the seafood store and a close friend.
"He was always working on motors. I called him a 'grease monkey,'" Frederick said. "He did whatever he had to do to make a dollar."
Robert Clowder leaves behind a teenage son, three sisters and a brother. His son is in the custody of his former wife, Lena Clowder said.
The Clowder family plans to put up a cross in Robert Clowder's honor at the crash site.
A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at KC Hall in Dulac. A fund set up to help with related costs, including Robert's memorial, can be accessed at http://www.gofundme.com/tud6p8rk.
Anyone with information about the hit-and-run driver is asked to call Troop C at 857-3680 or Bayou Region Crime Stoppers at (800) 743-7433.