Pass the "Yogi Law" and End the Incentive for Hit-and-Runs in New York
Pass the "Yogi Law" and End the Incentive for Hit-and-Runs in New York
The Issue
End the Incentive for Hit-and-Runs in New York
The Heart of the Tragedy
On July 4, 2025, a family was forever changed. Jeffrey “Yogi” Maxson was a vibrant man struck by a vehicle and left on the side of the road—alone, in the dark, and fighting for a life that was eventually stolen from him. He wasn't found until the following day.
The driver is alleged to have done more than just flee; he is accused of actively concealing his involvement by deleting evidence while Jeffrey Maxson lay helpless nearby. This wasn't just an accident; it was a choice to value a clean record over a human life.
The Fatal Ripple Effect
The trauma of hit-and-runs is never contained to the victim. Just 24 hours after learning her son had been killed and abandoned, Yogi’s mother, Evelyn, passed away. Her heart quite literally broke. In less than 48 hours, a family was hollowed out, losing both a son and a mother in a single wave of preventable grief.
The aftermath has been an exhausting battle for justice. Beyond the immeasurable emotional toll, the "justice" system has felt more like a barrier than a shield for those left behind.
A Perverse Legal Incentive
This story is a symptom of a terrifying trend. In 2022, New York hit a decade-high with 1,175 traffic fatalities. Most disturbingly, **1 in 5 pedestrian deaths in New York are the result of hit-and-run incidents.**
Current New York law actually rewards drivers for fleeing. If a driver is impaired by alcohol or drugs, staying at the scene could lead to a 1st-degree Vehicular Manslaughter charge (up to 15 years). By fleeing, they allow time for substances to leave their system, often resulting in significantly lesser penalties. This "loophole of cowardice" creates a perverse incentive: it is legally "safer" for a driver to leave a person to die than to stay and face the truth.
**Our Demand**
We demand the passage of the **“Yogi Law.”** This legislation must ensure that the penalties for leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death or serious injury are equal to, or greater than, those for vehicular homicide while impaired.
We must stop rewarding abandonment. We need a law that reflects the value of human life and ensures that no other family has to watch a driver benefit from the callous act of leaving a loved one behind.
**Please sign to tell Governor Hochul and the NY State Legislature: A human life is worth more than a legal loophole.**
111
The Issue
End the Incentive for Hit-and-Runs in New York
The Heart of the Tragedy
On July 4, 2025, a family was forever changed. Jeffrey “Yogi” Maxson was a vibrant man struck by a vehicle and left on the side of the road—alone, in the dark, and fighting for a life that was eventually stolen from him. He wasn't found until the following day.
The driver is alleged to have done more than just flee; he is accused of actively concealing his involvement by deleting evidence while Jeffrey Maxson lay helpless nearby. This wasn't just an accident; it was a choice to value a clean record over a human life.
The Fatal Ripple Effect
The trauma of hit-and-runs is never contained to the victim. Just 24 hours after learning her son had been killed and abandoned, Yogi’s mother, Evelyn, passed away. Her heart quite literally broke. In less than 48 hours, a family was hollowed out, losing both a son and a mother in a single wave of preventable grief.
The aftermath has been an exhausting battle for justice. Beyond the immeasurable emotional toll, the "justice" system has felt more like a barrier than a shield for those left behind.
A Perverse Legal Incentive
This story is a symptom of a terrifying trend. In 2022, New York hit a decade-high with 1,175 traffic fatalities. Most disturbingly, **1 in 5 pedestrian deaths in New York are the result of hit-and-run incidents.**
Current New York law actually rewards drivers for fleeing. If a driver is impaired by alcohol or drugs, staying at the scene could lead to a 1st-degree Vehicular Manslaughter charge (up to 15 years). By fleeing, they allow time for substances to leave their system, often resulting in significantly lesser penalties. This "loophole of cowardice" creates a perverse incentive: it is legally "safer" for a driver to leave a person to die than to stay and face the truth.
**Our Demand**
We demand the passage of the **“Yogi Law.”** This legislation must ensure that the penalties for leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death or serious injury are equal to, or greater than, those for vehicular homicide while impaired.
We must stop rewarding abandonment. We need a law that reflects the value of human life and ensures that no other family has to watch a driver benefit from the callous act of leaving a loved one behind.
**Please sign to tell Governor Hochul and the NY State Legislature: A human life is worth more than a legal loophole.**
111
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Petition created on February 4, 2026