Man jailed for hit-and-run death

A man has been jailed over a fatal hit-and-run which happened as a speeding car drove away from a drugs deal gone wrong.

Aden Wright was driving a VW Golf when he hit Ryan Griffiths, 29, on Burleigh Road in Wolverhampton on the evening of 21 August 2024. The 27-year-old defendant, of Griffiths Drive in the city, fled the scene, with his victim dying two days later.

Wright was originally charged with murder but the charge was reduced to death by dangerous driving following deliberations by the Crown Prosecution Service.

A jury at Birmingham Crown Court unanimously convicted Wright and on Thursday he was jailed for 14 years and disqualified from driving for 14 years.

In the wake of the crash, West Midlands Police said it had forensically examined the car and launched a manhunt for Wright, who was arrested within a week.

The force said its investigation found Wright was linked to purchasing drugs, which is why he was in the area that night.

Detectives found he tried to use other people within the vehicle to buy the drugs on his behalf using fraudulent money, and when the money was found to be fake by someone else at the scene, Wright drove away at speed.

He crashed into Mr Griffiths and then stopped to collect a passenger. Despite seeing his victim lying motionless in the road, he left the scene.

A spokesperson for the force said: "What followed was a series of calculated actions by Wright to try and get away with his crime.

"He enlisted the help of others to take the vehicle off the road the following day, changed the ownership into someone else's name, and then tried to get family members to help frame that person as the driver.

"Despite our strong evidence proving he was the driver at the time, Wright insisted that it was the other person who was behind the wheel."

Det Sgt Jeanette Roberts said: "Securing justice for Ryan and his family has been at the forefront of our minds throughout this investigation.

"Wright's callous actions that night, including failing to stop at the scene or admit to what he did, have put them through unimaginable pain.

"A thorough investigation meant that he was brought to justice and will serve a considerable amount of time in prison."

Mr Griffiths' family paid tribute to him following his death, saying: "Ryan was a loving and devoted son, brother, uncle, grandson, nephew and cousin.

"He had a heart of gold and a lot of loving friends.

"Everyone is devastated by his sad loss and he will be sadly missed."

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