A tragic hit-and-run in New Orleans claimed the life of 36-year-old bartender Michael Milam, who was cycling home from his shift at Cafe Lafitte in Exile when struck by 19-year-old Thomas Riggio III’s Infiniti on July 12, 2025. Riggio, impaired by cocaine and alcohol (BAC 0.07 detected 12 hours post-crash), fled the scene near St. Claude Avenue and Alvar Street, leaving Milam to die.
Incident and Investigation
Milam, a recent transplant from Houston with deep ties to the LGBTQ community through volunteering and bartending, had just ended his early-morning shift in the French Quarter. Riggio had been partying nearby before the collision. Toxicology and crash forensics confirmed his impairment and flight, despite his prior reckless driving record—like doughnut-spinning crashes.
Sentencing Details
On January 30, 2026, Orleans Parish Judge Kimya Holmes sentenced Riggio to 9 years in prison after his October 2025 guilty plea to hit-and-run causing death. DA Jason Williams highlighted Riggio’s failure to aid as “serious,” while Holmes questioned his lack of remorse: “Not even stopping to see what it was that he hit… If he would have just stayed, none of us would be in this situation.”
Courtroom Reactions
Riggio apologized tearfully to Milam’s family, empathizing via his own siblings. Some siblings decried the charge as lenient, citing Riggio’s stepfather in the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office. A GoFundMe celebrated Milam’s vibrant return to “a city he loved,” noting his quick impact on patrons. Cases like this emphasize stopping post-collision—Louisiana law mandates aid, with flight worsening penalties.
