Mother Calls for New Law After Son's Death in Smyrna, Tennessee Hit-and-Run

Rutherford County, TN — A Tennessee mother has been turning grief into action and now the man convicted of killing her son in a hit-and-run crash will soon walk free. Kimberly Webb, whose 19-year-old son, James “Jimmy” Bardsley Jr., was struck and killed while riding his motorcycle home from work in September 2021, is now leading a statewide campaign to change how Tennessee handles fatal hit-and-run cases.

The driver, Ruben Buenrostro Contreras, now 71, fled the scene after the crash at Rocky Fork Almaville Road and Morton Lane. Jimmy died in the roadway, surrounded by strangers. It took 29 hours for Smyrna Police to locate the suspect and the red truck involved.

Contreras, who is currently on parole in Murfreesboro, was later convicted in a Rutherford County courtroom on December 7, 2023, for leaving the scene of an accident involving a death, tampering with evidence, and failure to yield resulting in death. His sentence included:

• 2 years in the Department of Corrections
• 5 years for tampering with evidence
• 11 months and 29 days in jail for failure to yield

Despite these convictions, Contreras is scheduled to continue his sentence under court-supervised parole. That parole is listed as active supervision, requiring him to check-in when required at the Murfreesboro Probation and Parole Office. His sentence will be completed by September 24, 2026—which is in just 15 months and 3 weeks from now.

For Webb, this is not justice. She believes Jimmy’s memory deserves more than loopholes. She reports that Tennessee’s current laws do not mandate enhanced penalties for hit-and-run crashes that result in death.

In response, Webb is championing the James Bardsley Life Protection Act, named in her son’s memory. The proposed legislation aims to:

• Establish a distinct offense for fatal hit-and-run crashes
• Create mandatory minimum sentences
• Increase penalties to discourage fleeing
• Fund public education on the legal and moral duty to remain at accident scenes

Webb has pointed to other states for inspiration. Florida’s Aaron Cohen Life Protection Act, for example, mandates a minimum four-year prison term and has contributed to a 13% decrease in fatal hit-and-run cases. South Carolina allows for up to 25 years in prison for similar offenses.

Tennessee, however, still has no mandatory minimums. Data between 2018 and 2022 reveals the scale of the problem:

• Shelby County reported 164 fatal hit-and-runs
• Davidson County recorded 85

Webb is now urging the Tennessee General Assembly to take swift action. An online petition supporting the proposed legislation is gaining traction, and she hopes that by sharing her story, other families will be empowered to demand change as well.

Her goal is simple: ensure that no other family suffers the same heartbreak without justice. Jimmy, she says, was a vibrant, hard-working young man with his whole life ahead of him.

If passed, the James Bardsley Life Protection Act could reshape how Tennessee addresses one of its most devastating and preventable crimes. Until then, Kimberly Webb continues her fight—for Jimmy, and for justice.

Ruben Buenrostro Contreras (above) will be 73-years-old upon the completion of his sentence.