Grieving family finds relief with arrests in hit-and-run
Relatives of woman killed on motorcycle can now start ‘healing process,’ son says
The past five months have been the hardest of Rob Jeglum’s life.
On Sept. 14, his mother, Laura Jeglum-Woycheshen, was riding her motorcycle home from dinner with a group of friends when she was hit head-on by a vehicle on Lougheed Highway in Maple Ridge. The driver fled and JeglumWoycheshen died from her injuries.
“It’s such a hit,” Jeglum said Tuesday. “She was just such a caring person. She was always there for me — she was my rock.”
But, he’s hoping that the arrests of two men Friday in connection with the hit-and-run will help his family “finally start the healing process and start to pick up the pieces.”
“It’s a relief that finally somebody’s going to be held accountable,” Jeglum said.
Ryan Gerald Lowe, 33, has been charged with dangerous driving causing death, impaired driving causing death, two counts each of dangerous driving causing bodily harm and impaired driving causing bodily harm, one count of failing to stop at an accident with a vehicle or vessel and one count of public mischief.
All of the offences are alleged to have taken place in Maple Ridge, except for the public-mischief charge, which is related to something that took place in Chilliwack the same day.
Lowe made his first appearance in provincial court in Port Coquitlam on Monday for a bail hearing, during which he was released on his own recognizance on $2,500 bail. His next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 21.
Lowe’s younger brother, 31-yearold Abbotsford resident Robert Kendall Lowe, has been charged with obstructing a peace officer. He was arrested, but has since been released on a promise to appear in court. Robert Lowe’s offence is alleged to have taken place in Chilliwack two days after the crash. His first court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 28.
“For nearly five months we have been waiting for more information or any answers about what happened,” Brandy Gibson, JeglumWoycheshen’s sister, told reporters on Tuesday. “To finally get the news that arrests have been made has been a relief, but it doesn’t make the loss of Laura any easier for our family.”
The hit-and-run took place on the evening of Sept. 14, 2017. Jeglum-Woycheshen and some friends were riding their motorcycles home from dinner when Jeglum-Woycheshen was struck head-on by an eastbound vehicle in the 27800 block of Lougheed Highway in Maple Ridge. The vehicle that hit Jeglum-Woycheshen didn’t stop.
Jeglum-Woycheshen, a 48-yearold mother of three and grandmother, died from her injuries. Two other motorcyclists suffered serious injuries, but survived.
Within a week of the hit-andrun, police recovered an abandoned grey 2003 Pontiac Sunfire that they believed was connected to the incident.
Over the next five months the investigation covered four jurisdictions — Maple Ridge, Abbotsford, Chilliwack and Mission — and involved a number of units and agencies.
“The driver did flee the scene, and it takes a considerable amount of time to put those pieces of the puzzle back together,” said Ridge Meadows RCMP Sgt. Brenda Gresiuk, who described the probe as “very technically driven.”
A large crowd of family and friends was on hand for the police announcement — some of whom wore T-shirts disparaging the driver — which Gresiuk said reflected the deep effect of JeglumWoycheshen’s death. Even investigators were “touched” by the case and got to know the victim’s family personally.
“We know that this type of offence really impacts our community significantly,” she said.