The investigation into the tragic death of a Windsor-raised skateboarder has finally resulted in an arrest.
Vancouver police said in a media release Friday morning that a 23-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the 2016 hit-and-run death of Ryan Barron. The 30-year-old was from Windsor and had attended Tilbury District High School.
Barron died on April 17, 2016. Police say he was skateboarding with a friend around 2:30 a.m. on Heather Street near W. 54th Avenue. in Vancouver when he was struck by a vehicle that fled the scene. Barron passed away in hospital a short time later.
Two days after Barron's death, police located the vehicle outside a home on Vancouver's east side. It had extensive damage consistent with a pedestrian collision. The vehicle was seized and processed for evidence. Following a 32-month investigation, police arrested and charged Armanpreet Sohal with dangerous driving causing death, as well as failure to stop at an accident causing bodily harm.
Vancouver police Cst. Jason Doucette said their top priority was finding the person responsible for Barron's death and helping his family and friends find peace.
“Our job is to work on behalf of Ryan and his family to ensure the person responsible for his death is held accountable for their actions,” said Doucette. “Our collision investigators worked tirelessly on this complex, lengthy and difficult investigation, and we are pleased charges have been laid."
These charges have yet to be proven in court.