Mother questions delay in release of information in Wilmington hit-and-run involving her son
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — More than a month after a hit-and-run sent a UNCW student to the hospital, Wilmington police have released new images and details as investigators continue searching for the driver.
Alisha Ryan’s 19-year-old son, Drew, suffered a concussion and needed stitches after he was hit while walking along South College Road in August.
WWAY first spoke with Ryan earlier this month and has continued reaching out to Wilmington police for information about the investigation.
On Wednesday, police released new images of the suspect vehicle, described as a red sedan with front-end damage and possible windshield damage.
Police say the vehicle hit Drew and another man around 11 p.m. before driving into a nearby parking lot and later leaving on Kerr Avenue.
Ryan said she first learned about Wednesday’s release from WWAY, not police. She also believes WWAY’s coverage helped bring additional attention to the case.
“Do you think police would have sent out a press release if we, WWAY, hadn’t gotten involved?” WWAY asked.
“No sir,” Ryan said.
“You don’t think so at all?”
“I do not because nothing was really being communicated with me up until the news station contacted me,” Ryan said. “And once you guys contacted me, that’s definitely when more press was put out there on the hit and run.”
Ryan said she is troubled that more than a month passed before police released the images and additional information about the vehicle.
“I feel like if my son would have passed away from the incident that it would have definitely gotten attention the night that it happened, which is very sad,” Ryan said. “And I do understand, you know, that the police force, they are busy and that there’s other things that I’m assuming took priority. But at that point in time, like my son is my priority and I want the person who did this honestly to be brought to justice.”
WWAY reached out to Wilmington police to ask why it took more than a month for the information to be released but did not receive a response.
Ryan worries the delay may have given the driver time to repair the vehicle’s damage or leave the area.
Drew has since returned to class. Ryan said she is also grateful for the people who stopped to help her son after he was hit.
“I’ve actually had a good many parents to reach out to me that either their sons or their daughters are acquaintances or friends of my son,” Ryan said. “I even had parents to reach out of other individuals that had stopped to help my son that night, which, you know, I was able to thank them and to get, you know, just the proper appreciation to those people because ultimately, I mean, Drew was just left there.”
Ryan said she plans to continue pushing for answers and accountability for the driver who hit her son.
She also wants what happened to Drew to lead to change. Ryan plans to push for better pedestrian safety along South College Road in hopes another family does not have to receive the kind of phone call she received that night in August.
