COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio House has passed a bill to increase penalties for drivers who don’t stop after accidents resulting in death or serious injury to a person.
Under current law, motorists who leave accident scenes typically face a first-degree misdemeanor charge. If someone is seriously hurt, it increases to a fifth-degree felony with a possible one-year prison sentence. If the accidents result in death, drivers could face up to three years in prison.
The measure, also known as “Brandon’s Law” in honor of an eastern Ohio teen killed in a hit-and-run accident last year, was approved Wednesday on an 86-1 vote.
“Brandon’s Law” would increase the penalty for death or serious injury to a second-degree felony, punishable by up to eight years in prison. It increases the penalty for fleeing the scene of an accident from a third-degree felony to a second-degree felony.
Brandon Pethtel, 14, lived in the district represented by Rep. Brian Hill (R-Zanesville) who says the bill he sponsored is intended to deter drivers from fleeing the scene of an accident.
“With this law, fleeing the scene of the accident would hurt an offending driver’s chances of seeing a lesser charge and ensure that more drivers take responsibility for their actions,” Hill said.
Legislative analysts describe the number of cases in which the penalty enhancements will come into play as “extremely small.”