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Partner's death sparks crash law change campaign
Overview
Chloe Mefford, whose partner Tommy Hunter was killed in a hit-and-run collision in Ashby-de-la-Zouch in December 2023, has launched a petition to make reporting all road collisions mandatory. The driver, Brandon Beesla, did not stop because he believed he had hit a badger, taking 29 hours for Hunter's body to be found. The campaign calls for drivers to report all crashes immediately and for mandatory jail terms for failing to do so.
Key points
- Tommy Hunter died in December 2023 after being hit by a car driven by Brandon Beesla, who did not stop because he thought he hit a badger.
- Hunter's partner, Chloe Mefford, launched a petition to make reporting all road collisions a legal requirement.
- The petition also demands mandatory jail terms for anyone who fails to report an accident immediately.
- Beesla admitted driving a vehicle in a condition likely to cause danger of injury, receiving a £2,000 fine and a 12-month driving ban in March 2025.
- Current UK law requires drivers to report accidents involving certain farm animals and dogs, but excludes cats and wild animals like badgers and foxes.
- The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) reviewed Leicestershire Police's handling of the investigation and did not uphold any aspects of Mefford's complaint.