Driver arrested over death of rugby player killed in hit-and-run the day before his 18th birthday
A driver has been arrested over the death of a ‘happy-go-lucky’ teenager who was killed in a hit-and-run tragedy just one day before his 18th birthday.
Dylan Price, 17, was discovered with serious injuries on the B4385 Brampton Road near Bishop’s Castle in Shropshire last September.
Police and paramedics were called to the country lane at just after 5am, but Dylan was declared dead at the scene.
West Mercia Police said a man in his 50s was being held on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and on suspicion of sending malicious communications.
A driver has been arrested over the death of Dylan Price (pictured) who was killed in a hit-and-run just one day before his 18th birthday
Dylan, who worked as an apprentice in the family farm machinery business, was found in the road by a passing motorist in the suspected hit-and-run tragedy at 5am
A 42-year-old man who was previously arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving has been released with no further action and officers were satisfied he was not involved, they added.
Dylan’s mother Louise described her youngest child as a ‘big softy’ with a ‘cheeky smile’ and ‘everybody’s go-to for a cuddle or a chat’.
The keen rugby player also worked as a lifeguard and had planned to do a mechanics apprenticeship.
She said: ‘The worst has happened, it really has. He would hate us being upset and that’s what’s kept us going.
‘He was happy in his own skin and it was lovely to see. He was happy-go-lucky.
‘We had so much fun and it was so nice to see him.’
She added: ‘Please if anyone knows anything, it just doesn’t add up.
It is suspected that he had been hit by a car as he was walking along the B4385 Brampton Road in Bishop’s Castle, Shropshire, a mile from the Welsh border
Talented Dylan was a committed member of Bishop’s Castle Rugby Club in Shropshire
An inquest in May heard that Dylan played rugby at Bishop’s Castle with his father on Saturday afternoon, September 18, and later went to the King’s Head and the Crown and Anchor Vaults pubs.
Dylan then went to a house party in Bishop’s Castle, then later to another house party just over a mile from the town.
He was last seen by his friend William Jones at the party between 2.30am and 3am.
The hearing heard that a delivery driver travelling along the B4385 between Lydbury North and Bishop’s Castle at around 3.30am said it was clear.
Then just after 4am, a milk worker drove around what she thought was a ‘bag of trainers in the road’.
Dylan (above), 17, was discovered with serious injuries in a country lane just hours before he would have been celebrating his milestone birthday
Dylan’s mother, Louise, described the talented rugby player as a ‘happy-go-lucky’ teenager
Dylan’s body was found by a relief dairy farmer in Brampton Road shortly after 5am, and he dialled 999.
Detective Inspector Joanne Delahay said: ‘Everybody described him as a sociable person who got on with everybody. He was happy and enjoyed the rugby match.’
A toxicology examination after his death found he had alcohol, equivalent to being twice the drink drive limit, and a small amount of cocaine in his system.
Home Office pathologist Dr Alexander Kolar, who carried out a post mortem on Mr Price, said his injuries were consistent with him having been lying down on the road when the collision took place.
Dr Kolar said his death ‘would have been very quick’ from severe head injuries.
Senior coroner John Ellery told the family that Dylan died as a result of a road traffic collision and offered them his condolences for their tragic loss.
Mr Ellery praised Dylan’s family and the Bishop’s Castle community for their strength since the teenager’s tragic death.
‘What a loss Dylan is to you at such a young age when everything was in front of him,’ Mr Ellery said.
Police continue to appeal for information following Dylan’s death and are urging anyone who have dash-cam footage to come forward.