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Driver sentenced for crash that killed 6-year-old

Posted at 4:47 PM, Oct 11, 2019
and last updated 2019-10-11 16:47:27-04

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The driver who killed a 6-year-old boy riding his bike has been sentenced.

Ryan Marsman was riding his bike with his dad in June when he was hit and killed by a pickup truck driven by Matthew Klaasen.

The crash happened at the intersection of Cascade Road and Laraway Lake Drive in Cascade Township.

Klaasen will serve 1 year probation for a moving violation causing death. He maintains he didn’t see Ryan when the crash happened. Violating his parole will mean 1 year of jail time for Klaasen.

Ryan’s parents have started Riding for Ryan in an effort to keep kids safe while riding their bikes. They promote bicycle safety, giving out tall flags to attach to bikes, making kids more visible.