Partner of man killed by car in Leicestershire calls for drivers to be legally required to stop after every collision
Chloe Mefford wants drivers to report all collisions after her partner Tommy Hunter was hit and killed by a car and remained undiscovered for more than 24 hours
The partner of a 27-year-old man who died after being struck by a car in Leicestershire is campaigning for a change in the law, arguing that drivers should be legally required to stop and report any collision.
Tommy Hunter was walking home towards Swadlincote, Derbyshire, during the early hours of 10 December 2023 when he was hit by a car on Burton Road, near Ashby-de-la-Zouch.
His body was not discovered until more than a day later, when friends searching for him found him nearby the road.
Hunter's partner, Chloe Mefford, has since spoken about the distress caused by the circumstances surrounding his death. She believes a legal requirement for drivers to report every type of collision could have meant Hunter was located much sooner.
Chloe said:
“It’ll never bring Tommy back, but if we can achieve something positive from it, then at least it’s a step forward.”
Police investigated Brandon Beesla, who was 29 at the time. Beesla told officers he had not stopped after the collision because he thought his vehicle had struck a badger.
He was fined £2,000 and disqualified from driving for a year.
During an inquest, it was revealed that Leicestershire Police had prepared a case alleging death by dangerous driving and submitted it to the Crown Prosecution Service. However, prosecutors concluded there was not enough evidence to provide a realistic likelihood of securing a conviction.
Hunter's family challenged that decision, but the appeal was unsuccessful.
Calls for drivers to report every collision
For Chloe Mefford, the most painful part has been the fact that Hunter remained undiscovered at the roadside for so long.
She is now urging lawmakers to amend the Road Traffic Act 1988 so that anyone who believes they have been involved in a collision is required to stop immediately and notify police.
Chloe said:
“It would prevent other families from going through the heartache that we’ve had to endure over the last two-and-a-half years.”
Under the current rules, motorists have to stop and report collisions involving certain animals, including dogs, horses, cattle, mules, sheep, pigs and goats. The same legal requirement does not apply when a driver hits a cat or wild animals such as badgers, foxes or deer.
Mefford believes that distinction should be removed and that failing to report any suspected collision should become an offence.
She said the circumstances surrounding Hunter's death had left his loved ones with lasting pain and argued that a universal reporting requirement could have prevented him from being left undiscovered for so long.