Grieving family want tough action on drivers who flee crash scenes

A GRIEVING family has launched a new campaign for dangerous driving reforms after a father of one was struck and left to die in the road.

Ryan Saltern, 31, of Probus, was on the B3267, making his way to a party following the St Teath carnival on July 28, 2019, when he was hit by a car and left for dead.

Ryan was lying down at the time he was struck, but it is not known why.

The driver did not stop, leaving the father-of-one to die. He also failed to report the accident to the police the following day.

Wayne Shilling, 39, of Delabole, appeared at Bodmin Magistrates’ Court in August of last year. He pleaded guilty to failing to stop and failing to report an accident and received a four-month jail sentence, suspended for a year.

Shilling was also disqualified from driving for 12 months, given an evening curfew for four months and ordered to pay a £207 victim surcharge and prosecution costs.

Ryan’s family said that the outcome was the best they could expect due to the sentencing options that are available to magistrates for the crime committed.

Since the court case Ryan’s family has dedicated themselves to supporting a petition calling for a change in the law that would mean hit-and-run offenders would receive custodial sentences which cannot be suspended.

The petition exceeded the 100,000 signatures required and the matter will be debated in Parliament.

Now, Ryan’s family have launched a new petition, Ryan’s Law, calling for a widening of the definition of causing death by dangerous driving and a minimum 10 year sentence.