UPDATE (Oct.15, 2015): Three criminal charges have been approved against 28-year-old Sean William McAllister of Port Coquitlam in connection with a hit-and-run in Coquitlam in July of last year.
He has been charged with failure to remain on scene, impaired driving causing bodily harm and dangerous driving causing bodily harm.
McAllister came forward and identified himself as the driver in August of last year.
The wife of victim Bruce Rickman, Twyla Rickman, says now that the charges have been laid, they can begin their journey to justice.
Rickman says her husband sustained catastrophic and life-changing injuries. He is now at home recovering.
WATCH: The Coquitlam RCMP announce charges in hit-and-run
The family praises the RCMP, first responders and witnesses for their support.
“Your selfless actions have been a comfort to us for the past 16 months,” she says. “It takes a community to recover from such a devastating injury.”
She says it was a relief for her husband to find out that charges have been laid.
Coquitlam RCMP say the suspect is not known to them and he had no prior contact with police before the accident.
Previous story:
Police are investigating a serious hit and run accident on July 30, 2014 in Port Coquitlam.
A man on a bicycle was hit by a vehicle around midnight at the Mary Hill Bypass and Kingsway.
The driver fled the scene, and the victim was rushed to Royal Columbian Hospital with serious injuries.
Cpl. Jamie Chung with Coquitlam RCMP says investigators have recovered a black plastic passenger side mirror housing believed to belong to the suspect vehicle from the scene.
They say it appears the cyclist, who was allegedly riding eastbound on the shoulder of the road, was hit from behind by a large Toyota type vehicle that could have been an SUV or a truck.
Police are encouraging the driver to come forward and talk to them.
“The cyclist, Bruce Rickman, has a wife and two kids, and is a regular working man. The family deserves to know how and why it happened,” says Chung.
Victim’s wife Twyla Rickman says her husband is a transit bus driver and was coming back home from his shift.
“Please do the right thing. My husband is a very kind, loving man, and would have been the first person to stop and help another person. For your own conscience sake, please come forward,” she says.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Coquitlam RCMP Traffic Services Section at 604-945-1550 and quote file 2014-21316. Anyone wishing to provide information anonymously can contact Crime Stoppers.
WATCH: Rickman family makes appeal to driver to come forward in July 2014
Correction: The original version of the story incorrectly spelled the name of the victim.
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