THE HIT-AND-RUN INCIDENT ON SEYMOUR STREET last Saturday was all too familiar, and it should be disturbing to all of us that no one has come forward to take responsibility yet.
Unfortunately, though, there is good precedent to suggest the person responsible might not come forward at all, and just take his or her chances.
After all, it was only five months ago that Jason Gourlay received 10 months in jail for his part in a hit-and-run that killed young Jennifer Gatey in Aberdeen two years ago.
With credit for time served, Gourlay should be a free man, well, about now actually.
Gourlay had copped to leaving the scene of an accident and destroying evidence, relating to the fact that his Jeep was cleaned up and altered after the crash took place.
Fast forward to last Saturday, when a car hit and killed a 48 year old pedestrian on West Seymour.
Police believe the vehicle responsible was a blue foor-door sedan, after spending five days believing it was a silver Dodge Neon.
The driver of that car has now had nearly a week to cover up his or her tracks.
Pangs of conscience muted, they had plenty of time to take whatever measures they feel are necessary to keep from being caught.
Worst case scenario, they’re caught and convicted and serve a pittance of sentence.
They’ll be out in less than a year and back to living a normal life.
But the family of this 48 year old man, who didn’t deserve to die in an ambulance on the way to hospital, no matter who he was, has had their normal life shattered.
We all have that sentence given to Gourlay in the back of our minds.
If, God forbid, we ever hit a pedestrian with our vehicles, the thought of that sentence will return.
Hopefully, those pangs of conscience speak much louder, and will start shouting at this individual, too.
