The ex-wife of a 42-year-old Cambridge Ont. man who was killed in a hit-and-run in Regina Sunday night is asking people to come forward with information about the collision.
Around 7:30 p.m. on Sunday night, police were called to Ross Avenue and McDonald Street for a report of an unconscious man who appeared to have been hit by a vehicle. A deserted bicycle was seen at least 50 metres from the body.
The victim was later confirmed by police to be Jamie Gallon.
On Tuesday, police said they believe the suspects vehicle is a 2009-2012 Ford F-150 truck, which will have front-end damage from the collision. Investigators are not including the vehicle colour at this time.
READ MORE: Regina police looking for suspect after fatal hit and run
“If anybody saw something, even if it doesn’t lead to who did it, just to be able to have that closure and that information and get rid of some questions,” Julie Welsh, Gallon’s ex-wife, said.
“And if it does get to the person who is responsible, we completely understand after this happens, you can be afraid but closure is so important to his daughter right now, just to know that there is at least some remorse, whether there is or not, just some type of closure.”
According to Welsh, Gallon texted their daughter Ashley Gallon-Welsh at 7:19 p.m. with pictures of a new apartment he had just looked at. Welsh assumes he was biking home from that apartment.
“He said I think I found a new apartment. It looks really nice. What do you think? And that was 10 minutes before,” Welsh said.
According to Welsh. Gallon always rode his bike everywhere.
“Even back in high school, he rode his bike to school every day,” Welsh said.
“It’s just something he does. He’s very fit. It’s just something he enjoys. It’s like his quiet time.”
Welsh said the whole family is still reeling from the loss.
“Me and Jamie were high school sweethearts. We met when we were 15 and we were together for 20 years,” Welsh said.
Welsh said Gallon had moved out to Regina for a temporary contracting job.
“Then he found another job right away so he just decided to say. There wasn’t as much work back here at the time and he just thought it was a chance to get a fresh start,” Welsh said.
In the last few weeks, Gallon had been making plans to move back to Cambridge to see his four-month-old grandson.
“He has a new grandson so he was feeling like he was missing out on that,” Welsh said.
Welsh said the family was told by police the collision was a high-force impact and he was already dead by the time he got to the scene.
“They are assuming with the force of impact it would have been pretty quick which gives us some peace at least,” Welsh said.
After the hit-and-run collision, cyclists in Regina spoke about bike safety in the city. Welsh said the family was told by police that they think Gallon was in dark clothing at the time of the collision, which surprises her.
“He’s usually pretty safe about it but again, I don’t whether it was a last minute thing,” Welsh said.
“It really shocked me that it would be an issue of him not being bright enough.”
A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise $5,000 to bring Gallon back to Cambridge to be buried.
“He was just a really nice guy; quiet, a little bit of a loner, kept to himself but really friendly,” Welsh said.
“He was outgoing, somebody you could call to ask for a favour. A really hard worker. He was great with his daughter. He really loved her. They were very similar.”
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