GLENDALE, AZ (AZFamily) — More than four years after Ryan Stewart was hit and killed by a drunk driver on the side of the Loop 101 while changing his tire, his friends and family are working to recover and restore his memory.
The man who hit and killed Ryan was sentenced to 18 months in prison back in 2023 for negligent homicide.
“DUI is one of those things that’s completely preventable,” said Stewart’s friend Ravi Tomerlin. He and Stewart became fast friends through a mutual love for cars and racing.
Stewart’s Subaru was released from evidence after the criminal process was over last October. His friends and family decided to restore the car, which Stewart considered one of his prized possessions.
“All of us agreed that the right thing to do was to try and do something with it that would be positive as opposed to just yanking the engine out and using it in another car,” said Tomerlin.
After examining the car closer and asking around for help, the group discovered that it was possible to restore Stewart’s car to its original condition.
“If this was anybody else and it wasn’t Ryan, Ryan would be standing here doing exactly the same thing,” said Tomerlin.
Stewart’s Subaru WRX STI S209 is one of 209 worldwide. The restoration process has started, and Tomerlin is hopeful that by next year, Stewart’s car will return to its former glory and be able to go around the racetrack.
“That’s definitely on the mind quite a bit,” said Tomerlin.
The group of friends and family estimate that the full restoration will cost around $20,000, and they’ve started a GoFundMe for anyone who wants to contribute financially.
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Publish date : 2024-09-09 23:49:00
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