MORGAN CITY, La. – A tight-knit community along Bayou Teche is grappling with profound grief after 42-year-old Gregory Free, a lifelong resident known for his infectious laugh and fierce loyalty, died Monday morning when his motorcycle collided with a turning SUV at one of the city’s busiest intersections.
The crash happened just after 7:15 a.m. on LA 70 at Victor II Boulevard. Morgan City Police say a 2013 Jeep Wrangler traveling southbound attempted a left turn under a flashing yellow arrow when it crossed directly into the path of Free’s northbound 2001 Honda VTX. The impact was catastrophic.
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First responders found Free critically injured at the scene. Despite rapid transport to a local hospital, he was pronounced dead a short time later. A passenger on the motorcycle was thrown clear and suffered serious injuries; both they and the driver of the Jeep were taken to out-of-area trauma centers for treatment.
“Greg wasn’t just riding through that intersection — he was heading to work, same as every other morning,” said a close friend who asked not to be named. “He lived for his family, his friends, and that bike. Losing him like this just doesn’t feel real.”
Across social media and front porches Monday night, stories poured in: Gregory dropping everything to help a neighbor fix a flat, showing up with a cooler of cold drinks after hurricane cleanup shifts, or simply pulling over on his motorcycle to check on someone broken down on the side of the road.
“He had this way of making you feel like you mattered, every single time you talked to him,” one childhood friend posted. “Heaven just gained the best co-pilot anyone could ask for.”
The Morgan City Police Department’s Traffic Division continues to investigate, reviewing traffic-camera footage and witness statements. No citations have been issued at this time, and investigators say impairment is not believed to be a factor.
A makeshift memorial of flowers, candles, and a single black helmet already grows at the intersection where Free took his last ride.
Funeral arrangements are pending, but friends say services will celebrate a life spent lifting others up—likely with a motorcycle procession that will stretch for miles.
Gregory Free is survived by his parents, siblings, and a large extended family of blood relatives and chosen brothers who rode beside him.
Rest easy, Greg. The bayou won’t sound the same without your throttle.