‘A shining light’: Friends honor 9-year-old killed in Pleasant Grove hit-and-run

PLEASANT GROVE, Utah (ABC4) — Blue ribbons now line a neighborhood in Pleasant Grove as friends honor a 9-year-old boy who was killed in a hit-and-run on Tuesday.

Friends and family have identified him as Dalton Gibbs. According to police, Dalton was biking home on Tuesday when he was hit by a driver in his 70s.

“He’s amazing. He’s one of my only best friends I have. I’ve known him since the middle of the school year and he’s a great kid. I’ve never seen him once complaining or not being happy or not smiling,” shared Tristan, one of Dalton’s friends.

Police had responded to the call of a hit and run around 4 p.m. Tuesday at the intersection of 900 W and 2600 N in Pleasant Grove. Dalton was taken to the hospital, where he later died from his injuries.

“We just love Dalton. He’s just a shining light, and it’s just so hard to even comprehend a world without him in it,” said Maren Ingles, a family friend.

Another family friend, Jeff Snider, said Dalton was the kind of person who always brought a smile to others.

“The whole family’s that way. We just love these people. He wears a little bowtie to church and is just the most adorable little kid,” said Snider.

An investigation is still ongoing. A suspect has been identified and is cooperating with police.

“Anytime it involves a kid, it’s hard,” said Captain Britt Smith with Pleasant Grove PD. “Pleasant Grove Police Department wants justice for this 9-year-old. This is not a case where this gentleman ran this kid down intentionally and tried to harm him. That’s not what’s happened here. This is an absolute accident. That doesn’t mean that criminal charges won’t be filed in the future because there’s a very real likelihood that this individual will be charged criminally.”

Smith added that if you have an older family member and notice their cognitive abilities may be declining, it’s important to speak with them about the potential dangers of driving.

“If you have a grandparent or a parent that their skillset is diminishing and you fear that they can’t safely operate a motor vehicle, we have an obligation to everybody that we share the roadway with, and the sidewalks with, to have that difficult conversation. We cannot talk about this accident without having that as part of the discussion,” Smith said.

Tristan shared that the last time he saw his friend was in the lunchroom at school.

“I was talking to him. It’s a really fun experience being his friend. He’s an amazing friends. Once he died, my heart just broke,” he said.

Police wrote in a post online that they believe a Tesla was in the intersection when the accident happened, and suspect the Tesla may have captured video evidence with its onboard camera system. They are asking for that driver to come forward so police can review their footage.

A GoFundMe* has been created to help Dalton’s family during this time.

*ABC4.com is not affiliated with the online fundraiser or the organizers behind it. While this fundraiser is designated as “donation protected” by GoFundMe, ABC4.com does not guarantee that any funds donated will be used for the person(s) named as beneficiaries of the fundraiser.

Sorina Trauntvein contributed to this report.