Tens of thousands back call for change by hit-and-run victim's family

Family calls for 'government to listen' following fatal hit-and-run of 14-year-old boy Tue 9 Jun 2026 at 4:07pm In short: The family of a Lake Macquarie teenager killed in a hit-and-run crash is calling on the NSW government to reform the justice system that 'failed' their son. The family's petition pushing for tougher penalties for drivers who flee after a fatal crash has amassed more than 20,000 signatures. What's next? The petition will be tabled and debated in parliament in August. Bryson Dimovski was just 14 years old when he was hit and killed by a distracted driver while riding his e-scooter in the Lake Macquarie suburb of Warners Bay in 2023. The teenager was thrown over the bonnet of the car, smashed into the windscreen and propelled down an embankment, but his body would not be found for another six hours. The driver, Jaycob Gemza, 21, originally pleaded guilty to failing to stop and assist after vehicle impact causing death, but not guilty to dangerous driving occasioning death. Gemza changed his pleas to guilty for all charges in November and was later sentenced to a maximum of five years in jail. The Dimovski family has maintained that the sentence was too light, and their calls for change have gone unheard by the courts. "This system we put our faith in, never met us where we stand," Bryson's father Andrew Dimovski said. The Dimovskis have taken matters into their own hands, starting an online petition for tougher penalties for people who flee fatal crashes. It has so far amassed more than 20,000 signatures. "Bryson was struck and left for dead … [20,000 people] are now standing with us and demanding change," Mr Dimovski said. Driver was drinking and on phone In April, the Newcastle District Court heard Gemza was drinking and using his phone at the time of the crash. The court heard he stopped only briefly before driving from the scene and concealed his car in the aftermath. As Gemza's sentence was delivered by Judge Paul Marr, the Dimovski family stood outside the court calling for justice. "From the beginning, this was treated as some sort of lesser offence, like a traffic matter," Mr Dimovski said. The family said the online ePetition will allow their voices to be heard. The 'Reform Laws for Drivers Who Flee Fatal Crash Scenes' online petition now has enough signatures to be debated in the Legislative Assembly. It calls for increased penalties for people who flee a fatal crash scene, as well as those who refuse to take a breath test. It also proposes removing the option for hit-and-run offenders to serve their sentence in the community rather than jail. "I've been trying to talk to the government for the last two years and I've had no success," Mr Dimovski said. "It's time for the government to listen." The petition will be tabled in the NSW Parliament by Lake Macquarie MP Greg Piper in August. Pain remains Director of Road Trauma Support Group, Roxanne Arnold, said she knew the pain of losing a loved one all too well. Her husband, Steve Arnold, was travelling as a passenger on his way to work when he was hit and killed by a drunk driver in 2020. She said campaigns for change, like the Dimovski's petition, were an effective way to bring about legislative change and spread awareness. "Those people who have the ability to make changes can hear these stories, understand the tragedy of what it means to the loved ones left behind," Ms Arnold said. "If you're in a position to make change, please listen to us."