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Parents grieve the loss of U of M student killed in alleged hit-and-run

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Published  November 20, 2024 9:37pm CST
Crime and Public Safety
FOX 9

U of M student killed in alleged hit-and-run crash

A family is grieving the loss of a University of Minnesota student killed in an alleged hit-and-run crash near campus. FOX 9's Leon Purvis has the full story.

The Brief

    • A family is grieving the loss of a University of Minnesota student killed in an alleged hit-and-run crash near campus. 
    • The suspect was allegedly driving drunk and had a revoked license for past offenses. 
    • The student was in the crosswalk when she was struck and died at the hospital days later. 

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Parents of a University of Minnesota student are grieving after their daughter died in a hit-and-run crash near campus. 

The man charged in the hit-and-run had his license revoked from a previous incident.  

What the family is saying

Her parents miss their daughter every day. They’re taking things one day at a time. One thing they can’t understand is why the drunk driver was behind the wheel without a license.

"Missing her, and knowing that I’m not going to see her again," said Scott Saloum, Rylie’s father.

Scott Saloum describes his daughter Rylie Saloum as someone who was happy, enjoyed helping other people and loved horseback riding. 

"She was just full of energy and smiles. We used to call her ‘smiley Rylie,’ because she smiled and had big dimples on the side here," said Scott Saloum.

"She had a huge impact on the community. Even more so than we even knew," said Tract Saloum, Rylie’s mother.

The Saloums tell FOX 9, Rylie went to the U of M to study acting. She wanted to be a movie and TV star.

"She loved movies and theater. So she was trying to find a way to pursue something in that," said Scott Saloum.

Rylie was walking back to her dorm on Nov. 7 when an alleged drunk driver hit her. 

Investigators say she was in the crosswalk and had the right of way. Rylie was rushed to the hospital after she was hit.

"To get a call that your daughter is in the emergency room, and was hit by a car with life-threatening injuries," said Scott Saloum.

"And they couldn’t tell us she will be okay," said Tracy Saloum.

Rylie was on life support for three days. She died on Nov. 10.

Suspect information

Court documents show the alleged drunk driver, Ali Abas Samator, got a DWI in 2018 while his license was revoked. 

He now faces four felony charges.

"I don’t understand how he was even driving. Had a revoked licensee," said Scott Saloum.

How to help

The impact Rylie made will never be forgotten.

"If somebody has made an impact in your life, don’t be afraid to tell them, because you may never get the chance," said Scott Saloum.

 If you’d like to help the Saloum family, click here.