Cedar Hills man, 80, charged with manslaughter in death of 9-year-old bicyclist

KEY TAKEAWAYS

George Parker Hunter, 80, is charged with manslaughter in a fatal April crash.
Dalton Gibbs, 9, was hit and killed in Pleasant Grove on April 29.
Dalton's parents forgave Hunter, and expressed no desire for severe punishment or incarceration.

PLEASANT GROVE — An 80-year-old man is facing criminal charges after police say he hit and killed a 9-year-old boy who was riding his bicycle in April.

George Parker Hunter, of Cedar Hills, was charged Friday in 4th District Court with manslaughter, a second-degree felony, and leaving the scene of an accident involving death, a third-degree felony.

On April 29, 9-year-old Dalton Gibbs was riding his bicycle and crossing 2600 North at 900 West in Pleasant Grove, not far from his home, when he was hit by a Chevy pickup truck turning right onto westbound 2600 North, according to charging documents.

Another driver "jumped out of his vehicle and waved at the Chevrolet driver, Hunter, gesturing to him to stop and pointing to the ground to indicate there was something underneath his truck. (Hunter) completed his turn, dragging (Dalton) and his bicycle beneath his truck, and proceeded along 2600 North," the charges allege.

Prosecutors say at least two witnesses "were honking, yelling, and waving" at Hunter to get him to stop. Instead, Hunter allegedly "began to pick up speed and left the scene."

Dalton was dragged about 50 feet before becoming dislodged from the vehicle. Hunter "drove away with (Dalton's) bicycle still trapped beneath his truck," the charges state.

When Hunter was later located at the Spanish Fork Fairgrounds, he allegedly claimed that he believed the car in front of him had hit the bicycle first. "I knew I hit a bicycle, but I didn't think there was a kid on it," Hunter said, according to the charges.

Dalton Gibbs in an undated photo. The 9-year-old was hit and killed while riding his bike in Pleasant Grove in April. A Cedar Hills man, 80, has now been charged with manslaughter in the boy's death. (Photo: Janine Miner)

In June, Dalton's parents, Tyler and Kim Gibbs, told KSL they had already forgiven Hunter.

"We haven't desired any ill will toward him," said Tyler Gibbs. "We don't want him to suffer any more than he probably already has, just with the remorse and guilt of doing something like that."

"We know he didn't intend to do this," added Kim Gibbs, "and therefore, I don't intend to make his life more miserable than it already is, naturally, because of this accident."

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