Legislation Aims to Close Loophole in Hit and Run Statutes
By Associated Press
04/07/2015 06:43 PM
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) - State Representative André Jacque and state Senator Van Wanggaard are preparing to introduce legislation to close a loophole in Wisconsin's hit and run statutes.
Local 5's Cole Higgins explains the legislation and why one local family is asking you to support it.
"It sure seems like common sense, you know, there's really only one reason a person doesn't stop after they hit someone and that's because they know they hit someone," says Jeff Kennedy.
Kennedy's son John, also known as 'Mingo', was hit and killed by a driver in January of 2011 in Green Bay.
"There's no doubt in our minds that the person who hit and killed John, knew what he did," says Kennedy.
But even after being convicted of the hit and run, the driver was able to serve only two years of his ten-year prison sentence, because he asserted that he thought he only hit a garbage can.
"The way the law stands now, not only do you have to prove the person hit your loved one, you also have to prove they knew they hit your loved one," says Jeff's wife, Colleen Kennedy.
The Kennedys have been working with Rep. André Jacque for about two years on a piece of legislation, in honor of their son, known as The John Michael 'Mingo' Kennedy Act.
Written by Jacque and Senator Van Wanggaard, the bill requires that an operator of a vehicle involved in an accident must reasonably investigate what was struck.
"I think in the end, that's going to be better for everybody involved and certainly the conscious of anybody that's involved in those accidents," says Jacque.
The bill also specifies that a prosecutor is not required to prove that a driver knew that he or she collided with a person. Jacque and the Kennedys are hoping the potentially life-saving bill, quickly becomes law.
The bill will be formally introduced later this month.
Similar reform was passed in the State of Minnesota last legislative session with nearly unanimous, bi-partisan support.
Local 5's Cole Higgins explains the legislation and why one local family is asking you to support it.
"It sure seems like common sense, you know, there's really only one reason a person doesn't stop after they hit someone and that's because they know they hit someone," says Jeff Kennedy.
Kennedy's son John, also known as 'Mingo', was hit and killed by a driver in January of 2011 in Green Bay.
"There's no doubt in our minds that the person who hit and killed John, knew what he did," says Kennedy.
But even after being convicted of the hit and run, the driver was able to serve only two years of his ten-year prison sentence, because he asserted that he thought he only hit a garbage can.
"The way the law stands now, not only do you have to prove the person hit your loved one, you also have to prove they knew they hit your loved one," says Jeff's wife, Colleen Kennedy.
The Kennedys have been working with Rep. André Jacque for about two years on a piece of legislation, in honor of their son, known as The John Michael 'Mingo' Kennedy Act.
Written by Jacque and Senator Van Wanggaard, the bill requires that an operator of a vehicle involved in an accident must reasonably investigate what was struck.
"I think in the end, that's going to be better for everybody involved and certainly the conscious of anybody that's involved in those accidents," says Jacque.
The bill also specifies that a prosecutor is not required to prove that a driver knew that he or she collided with a person. Jacque and the Kennedys are hoping the potentially life-saving bill, quickly becomes law.
The bill will be formally introduced later this month.
Similar reform was passed in the State of Minnesota last legislative session with nearly unanimous, bi-partisan support.
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