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Santiago Files Hit and Run Accident Legislation

Representative Jose L. Santiago sent out a press release that stated he intends to file legislation, which would increase the penalties for hit and run accidents in Massachusetts. According to Santiago this legislation will encourage more drivers to stop if they do hit someone. In Massachusetts there have been about 10 hit and run accidents in the last five months. Santiago says the current minimum sentences for a hit and run drivers are not severe enough. The press release stated, "Hit and run accidents are an epidemic in Massachusetts and something must be done to prevent them. The victims of hit and run accidents deserve respect. There is no respect shown for the victim when the driver leaves the scene of an accident without assisting the victim or reporting the accident. Leaving someone to die is already a crime, but the punishment needs to be more severe."

Massachusetts General Laws currently state ".... whoever, without stopping and making known his name, residence, and the register number of his motor vehicle goes away after knowingly colliding with or otherwise causing injury to any person not resulting in the death of any person...shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than six months nor more than two years and by a fine of not less than five hundred dollars nor more one thousand dollars."

If passed, this bill would raise the minimum prison sentence from six months to two years and also increase the maximum sentence from two years to five years. The minimum fine would be raised from five hundred dollars to one thousand dollars and the maximum fine would be raised from one thousand dollars to two thousand dollars.

According to the Massachusetts General Laws ".... whoever without stopping and making known his name, residence, and the register number of his motor vehicle goes away after knowingly colliding with or otherwise causing injury to any person shall, if the injuries result in the death of a person, be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not less than two and one - half years nor more than ten years and by a fine of not less than one thousand dollars nor more than five thousand dollars."

The legislation would raise the minimum prison sentence from two and one - half years to five years but leave the maximum sentence at ten years. The minimum fine would increase from one thousand to two thousand dollars but the maximum would remain at five thousand dollars. The license would also be revoked for a minimum of five years or a maximum of ten years for a first offense; any subsequent offenses would result in a loss of license for life.

Any person caught operating a motor vehicle after his license has been revoked due to a hit and run accident conviction, which resulted in death, shall be punished by imprisonment in the house of correction for a minimum of six months nor more than two and one-half years.

Anyone interested in signing on to this bill should contact Veronica Lantigua, Representative Santiago's Legislative Aide at x8734, (617) 722-2575, by email, or in Room #146.