Please support our efforts to change California's lenient felony hit-and-run laws and take away the incentive to flee. We propose that drivers who fail to stay, render aid and/or call for help in the case of a crash where a person is killed or seriously injured, will face charges and penalties similar to those who are determined to be DUI at the time of a deadly crash. Taking action to delay arrest or waiting to sober up before you turn yourself in after a crash should have severe consequences.

Background
Jamari Julian Moore, was killed by a hit-and-run driver on August 17, 2017 while riding his bicycle. It was just two weeks after his 15th birthday. Hit-and-run driver, Dexter Laron Glover Jr., fled the scene of the crash leaving him alone on the road to die. His next action instead of calling for help for Jamari, was to call his mother to enlist her help in covering up the crime. The duo's elaborate cover up delayed Dexter Glover's arrest by 4 days, making it too late to administer tests to determine whether or not he was DUI at the time of the deadly crash. Glover later admitted using drugs earlier on that fateful day but said he had sobered up by the time he hit and killed Jamari.

He Almost Got Away With It!
As a "reward" for running away, Glover avoided any enhancements he may have faced if it was determined he was DUI when he hit Jamari. He eventually entered a plea of guilty to one count of felony hit-and-run and received a 2 year suspended sentence that allowed him to walk free and avoid jail or prison time.

Fast forward to June 2019: Dexter Glover was arrested for DUI at twice the legal limit, driving at excessive speed and with a license that was revoked or suspended, but soon he was back on the streets after posting a $500 bail. Glover continued to squander his second chance and was arrested for drug sales and methamphetamine manufacturing on November 13, 2019. As a result of these new charges and violation of probation related to Jamari's death, Glover will finally be sent to prison. It is my strong belief that the lenient sentence he received for the deadly hit-and-run led him to believe he would face little or no consequences for breaking the law going forward.

What Do We Need to Change?
California's felony hit-and-run laws are too lenient. They do not match the severity of the crime and may in fact provide an incentive for drivers to flee the scene of a deadly crash. Under California's current law, a driver who kills or seriously injures someone and stays at the scene of a crash will face enhanced charges and penalties if they are determined to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs (DUI). In comparison, a driver who runs away to avoid or delay DUI testing will likely avoid these enhancements. Even if a driver is apprehended or surrenders shortly after a hit-and-run it may be difficult, if not impossible, to determine whether or not they were DUI at the time of the crash. According to Mother's Against Drunk Drivers' website "...hit-and-run crashes are punished less severely than alcohol-related crashes, we have given drunk drivers an incentive to flee the crime to try to escape having a blood alcohol content test done." Why should a driver be rewarded for hitting a person and running away? It is always the right thing to stay!

It's Time to Take Action
The number of hit-and-run fatalities are on the rise. Almost every day a pedestrian or cyclist is killed by a driver who runs away without calling for help. We can no longer ignore this alarming trend. "Thoughts and prayers" are not enough for families and friends of victims. This is a preventable crime. Help us make California a safer place to walk, ride and play!

Learn more about our story and our mission at https://www.stophard.org
or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JusticeforJamari/