BATON ROUGE - Michael Brooks checked his mailbox Monday at Saint Vincent De Paul, and when he made a right turn towards Florida Boulevard, he said a pickup truck hit him.

"He comes from around the vehicle," Brooks said. "I jumped up [and I saw] him coming with this black gun in his hand, pointing it at me, saying you better not get my mf'n license plate," Brooks said.

In the last month and a half, there have been several crashes and incidents involving cyclists in the capital area.

This weekend, a driver hit and killed 60-year-old Michael Sterling off Jones Creek Road in Baton Rouge, and in Denham Springs, 13-year-old Matthew Temple was killed while riding his bike near Magnolia Boulevard.

Baton Rouge Police Department says they have noticed the trend to start the year.

"We have seen an uptick in persons involved in crashes who are not only on bicycles, but who are also walking," Lt. L'Jean McKneely, the department's public information officer, said.

BRPD and Brooks urge cyclists to be aware of their surroundings. 

"Don't rely on the driver and believe they know what they are doing. Pay attention to what they are doing. Be responsible. Wear some type of reflective gear. Wear some gear you know that would be noticeable and possibly catch the drivers," McKneely said.

Brooks said the situation felt like it was straight out of a movie and that the call during the interaction could've meant life or death.

"I think the thing that saved me was that I didn't have my hand with my phone by my ear, I had my [headphones] in and didn't let him see I was already talking to the 911 dispatcher," Brooks said.

Brooks has hired an attorney following the incident and has filed a report with the police.