Senator Adams, Assemblyman Weprin Announce Legislation Allowing Prosecutors to Charge Hit-and-Run Drivers at Same Level As DUI

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                          

AFTER FATAL VEHICLE ACCIDENT, NYS SENATOR ADAMS AND ASSEMBLYMAN WEPRIN TO ANNOUNCE LEGISLATION ALLOWING PROSECUTORS TO CHARGE HIT-AND-RUN DRIVERS AT SAME LEVEL AS DUI

NYS Senator Eric Adams and Assemblyman David Weprin will hold a press conference Monday to announce legislation which allows prosecutors to assume hit-and-run drivers were under the influence of alcohol or drugs when they left the scene of an accident, following the tragic deaths of Nachman and Raizy Glauber. The pregnant wife and her husband were killed on their way to the hospital today when a driver struck the couple on Kent Avenue in Williamsburg and fled the scene.

Senator Adams and Assemblyman Weprin will introduce new legislation that will modify NYS Penal Law sections 120.04(a) and 125.14 to allow prosecutors to charge Vehicular Assault crimes to any driver that knowingly leaves the scene of an accident where there is a serious physical injury or death. 

This bill will close the loophole that allows drivers operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol to leave the scene and sober up instead of reporting an accident or rendering immediate first aid to a victim. The new bill will give prosecutors the power to use presumption as the basis for the stronger charges.  

The new charge would be a C felony.