Utah family pleads drivers to pay attention after son was fatally hit

SOUTH JORDAN, Utah — A South Jordan household has a plea for drivers to decelerate and listen.

Dan Lengthy and Clark Monk’s nine-year-old son was killed on July 6 by a distracted driver. That is their first Halloween with out him.

“He cherished to decorate up, he cherished to be scary, he cherished the entire expertise of it,” Clark advised KSLTV.

“This Halloween, it’s going to be onerous,” Dan added.

Subsequent week will mark 4 months since Dan and Clark’s nine-year-old son Brayden was hit and killed whereas using an e-bike alongside 114th south close to 2200 west together with his greatest pal Anthony Sandoval.

For weeks, a makeshift memorial marked the world. However after the preliminary curiosity pale, it’s been an extended quiet stretch in what was as soon as a home filled with noise and pleasure.

The months have introduced disappointment and anger over a justice system they are saying doesn’t prosecute those that break the regulation.

The motive force, Shantil Garn, 44, faces careless driving and negligent murder costs within the case. Each are misdemeanors and carry a most sentence of as much as a yr in jail and a $2500 positive.

Courtroom data state that Garn admitted to handing her son her mobile phone to ship a textual content message simply previous to the crash however couldn’t keep in mind if she used “face ID” to open it.

“It’s unhappy that the legal guidelines should not in place to guard the victims,” Monk stated.

Each mother and father really feel these costs are minimal, and whereas they know harsher penalties gained’t convey their son again, they consider they’d ship a stronger message of accountability.

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As for tonight, the primary Halloween with out their son, their want is folks will decelerate, keep off of cell telephones and listen.

“I don’t know what number of instances folks can say that. I don’t know what number of instances it may be placed on tv. Folks have to decelerate. Obey the legal guidelines, watch what you’re doing.”

Brayden’s household says the Sandovals may nonetheless use a variety of assist paying for long-term medical care and quite a few surgical procedures. A GoFundMe* is about up for him.

*KSL TV doesn’t guarantee that the cash deposited to the account will likely be utilized for the good thing about the individuals named as beneficiaries. In case you are contemplating a deposit to the account, you need to seek the advice of your personal advisers and in any other case proceed at your personal threat.