‘I Didn’t Think There Was a Kid on It’

George Parker Hunter, 80, was behind the wheel on the afternoon of April 25 when he took a turn at an intersection and allegedly struck Dalton Gibbs, 9, who was riding his bike home from school. Only, according to witnesses and police reports, Hunter did not stop after the impact.

Instead, they told police he kept driving, even as people nearby tried to flag him down. In fact, according to the police report, witnesses say that when the attempted to get his attention, he actually sped up.

According to court documents reviewed by ABC affiliate KUTV, Hunter dragged Gibbs and his bicycle for about 50 feet as witnesses were shouting and waving at him before the boy was finally knocked free. His bike remained wedged under the truck as the man continued driving.

Gibbs was transported to a local hospital, but succumbed to his injuries and died that same day.

Eventually, police were able to track Hunter down and asked him about the incident. According to Law&Crime, he told them that he saw a bicycle under another driver’s car, and when that driver was reportedly waving at him and looking “panicked”, per NBC affiliate KSL, as they got out of their car, he thought they were waving for him to go on, so he drove on.

He then told police, per court documents, that he heard a screeching sound as he was driving and then saw a bicycle in his rearview mirror. He said that he got out of his trick, removed the bicycle from where it was wedged underneath and moved it to the sidewalk.

He said he waited for about seven minutes, but when no one came for it and he heard no sirens, he got back in his truck and drove away, leaving the bicycle there.

An officer at the scene reported that he heard Hunter telling someone, “I knew I hit a bicycle, but I didn’t think there was a kid on it.” Police ultimately found pieces of Gibbs’ bike for two blocks.

Officers said that there was a challenge in the immediate aftermath of the fatal accident in determining what Hunter did and did not know: i.e., did he know he’d been involved in a hit-and-run or not?

“Those are two very different states of minds,” explained Captain Britt Smith of the Pleasant Grove Police Department. “One of them is criminal and the other is not.”

Now, Hunter has been charged on one second-degree felony count of manslaughter and one third degree count of leaving the scene of an accident involving death.

Gibbs’ parents spoke with KSL in June, where they shared that they had gotten the opportunity to speak with Hunter and that they’d come to forgive him for the death of their son. “We know he didn’t intend to do this,” said Dalton’s mom, Kim Gibbs.

“There has been a significant amount of peace and healing that has come for us being willing to forgive quickly,” she continued, “and it has opened our hearts to a lot of healing rapidly and in a surprising way.”

In response to this week’s charges, the couple replied to the news outlet with a statement where they expressed that they do not believe Hunter should be incarcerated or endure “similar severe measures.”

“We are incredibly grateful for the outpouring of love and support from our community, church members, and the tremendous first responders and medical professionals. We love and miss our son Dalton every day.”

“We have been in contact with the driver, and in the spirit of healing and compassion, we have extended our forgiveness to him for the accident that caused our family so much harm.”

“This tragedy has changed our lives, his included. We know that he is deeply remorseful. We don’t desire that he or his family should endure additional punishment beyond what they’ve already experienced. We do not believe that incarceration or similar severe measures will provide the good that is needed. We believe there are other options that can be explored to ensure public safety and maintain the integrity of the driver’s family.

“To be clear, we are not the ones pressing charges. When the County Attorney’s office shared with us that they would be charging the driver, we shared these same sentiments with them. We desire everyone to be made whole.”