80-Year-Old Driver Allegedly Hit and Killed Boy, 9, on Bike: 'I Didn't Think There Was a Kid on It'

After hitting the boy, the person is accused of continuous to drive with him trapped beneath his truck as witnesses tried to make him cease.

George Parker Hunter, 80, was behind the wheel on the afternoon of April 25 when he took a flip at an intersection and allegedly struck Dalton Gibbs, 9, who was driving his bike house from college. Solely, in line with witnesses and police experiences, Hunter didn’t cease after the affect.

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As an alternative, they advised police he saved driving, whilst folks close by tried to flag him down. The truth is, in line with the police report, witnesses say that when the tried to get his consideration, he really sped up.

Based on court docket paperwork reviewed by ABC affiliate KUTV, Hunter dragged Gibbs and his bicycle for about 50 ft as witnesses had been shouting and waving at him earlier than the boy was lastly knocked free. His bike remained wedged beneath the truck as the person continued driving.

Gibbs was transported to an area hospital, however succumbed to his accidents and died that very same day.

Ultimately, police had been in a position to monitor Hunter down and requested him concerning the incident. Based on Regulation&Crime, he advised them that he noticed a bicycle beneath one other driver’s automotive, and when that driver was reportedly waving at him and looking out “panicked”, per NBC affiliate KSL, as they received out of their automotive, he thought they had been waving for him to go on, so he drove on.

He then advised police, per court docket paperwork, that he heard a screeching sound as he was driving after which noticed a bicycle in his rearview mirror. He mentioned that he received out of his trick, eliminated the bicycle from the place it was wedged beneath and moved it to the sidewalk.

He mentioned he waited for about seven minutes, however when nobody got here for it and he heard no sirens, he received again in his truck and drove away, leaving the bicycle there.

An officer on the scene reported that he heard Hunter telling somebody, “I knew I hit a bicycle, however I did not assume there was a child on it.” Police finally discovered items of Gibbs’ bike for 2 blocks.

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Officers mentioned that there was a problem within the speedy aftermath of the deadly accident in figuring out what Hunter did and didn’t know: i.e., did he know he’d been concerned in a hit-and-run or not?

“These are two very completely different states of minds,” defined Captain Britt Smith of the Nice Grove Police Division. “One in all them is prison and the opposite isn’t.”

Now, Hunter has been charged on one second-degree felony rely of manslaughter and one third diploma rely of leaving the scene of an accident involving loss of life.

Gibbs’ dad and mom spoke with KSL in June, the place they shared that that they had gotten the chance to talk with Hunter and that they’d come to forgive him for the loss of life of their son. “We all know he did not intend to do that,” mentioned Dalton’s mother, Kim Gibbs.

“There was a big quantity of peace and therapeutic that has come for us being prepared to forgive shortly,” she continued, “and it has opened our hearts to lots of therapeutic quickly and in a shocking method.”

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In response to this week’s prices, the couple replied to the information outlet with an announcement the place they expressed that they don’t consider Hunter needs to be incarcerated or endure “comparable extreme measures.”