Flanked by relatives of two other hit-and-run victims, mother Kathy Padilla took to a podium at a press conference Friday, April 13, to detail the tragic July 2005 death of her 19-year-old daughter, Angelina.
Padilla’s passionate speech was in support of proposed legislation that if approved would deliver harsher penalties to repeat hit-and-run drivers and those convicted of multiple driving under the influence convictions.
Representatives from San Diego County’s Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), District 76 Assemblywoman Lori Saldaãa and San Diego District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis similarly voiced their support of Assembly Bill 1200, referred to as Angie’s Law.
The law, introduced by Saldaãa, would increase penalties for repeat hit-and-run offenders who cause the injury or death of another.
The law would carry harsher penalties for offenders with two or more prior hit-and-run or DUI convictions and other serious vehicular crimes.
Saldaãa authored the bipartisan bill with State Sen. Jack Scott, a Democrat from Pasadena, and Assemblyman Todd Spitzer, a Republican from Orange.
The Assembly Public Safety Committee was scheduled to hear the bill Tuesday, April 17, with Padilla scheduled to be present before the committee to support passage of the legislation.
Padilla has been a staunch advocate of AB1200 in honor of her daughter’s memory, she said.
“This could happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. And the fact that [people] are doing this to each other is unacceptable,” Padilla said.
Angie Padilla was walking home from a friend’s house along Clairemont Mesa Boulevard on July 23, 2005, when she was struck and killed by a drunken driver.
The driver fled the scene and was arrested seven months later.
The 50-year-old driver, Robin Charles Grady, eventually pled guilty, Padilla said.
Grady had multiple DUI convictions and was sentenced in the Padilla case to the maximum allowed by law ” four years and eight months, said San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis.
If passed, Angie’s Law would target drivers convicted of hit and run that results in injury.
Offenders convicted within 10 years of two or more previous violations of the same offense, or other vehicular offenses such as a DUI, could be sent to state prison for three, six or eight years and face fines between $1,000 and $10,000, according to language contained in the bill.
Although Padilla said she is still grieving her daughter’s death, she said her work with Angie’s Law will put a human face on the legislation.
Family members of other hit-and-run victims hope the bill will raise awareness, too.
Relatives of two other victims voiced their support of the bill during at the news conference.
Melanie Kortlang said she is “damn mad” with the current laws dealing with repeat hit-and-run offenders.
“If a drunk driver kills somebody while committing their crime of driving under the influence, I believe they should be held accountable because they’ve murdered somebody. They should be charged as such,” Kortlang said.
Her daughter, Amy Kortlang, was struck and killed by a drunk driver Oct. 9, 2006.
The driver, an illegal immigrant working for a company in Ramona, fled the scene.
The driver had four prior DUI offenses, Kortlang said.
The family members of 14-year-old Marchello Howard also held pictures of their loved one.
The boy was killed Oct. 1, 2004, by a driver under the influence who fled the scene, according to Luann Howard, the boy’s aunt.
The driver had two previous DUI convictions and was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison, Howard said.
Between January and March 2007, the California Highway Patrol handled 250 hit-and-run collisions in San Diego County, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Brad Baehr.
The San Diego Police Department’s traffic division handles an average of 60 fatalities each year, said SDPD Capt. Bill Edwards.
The department handles about 25 DUI-related fatalities each year and makes roughly 4,500 DUI-related arrests annually, he said.
Many factors cause drivers to flee a scene, Edwards said.
Reasons can range from driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and suspended-license violations to uninsured drivers trying to avoid the expense of an accident, he said.
Although there is a blanket moratorium on increased or new criminal penalties because of the overcrowded nature of the state prison system, with the support of the public there is a good chance the bill will succeed, according to Saldaãa. nFlanked by relatives of two other hit-and-run victims, mother Kathy Padilla took to a podium at a press conference Friday, April 13, to detail the tragic July 2005 death of her 19-year-old daughter, Angelina.
Padilla’s passionate speech was in support of proposed legislation that if approved would deliver harsher penalties to repeat hit-and-run drivers and those convicted of multiple driving under the influence convictions.
Representatives from San Diego County’s Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), District 76 Assemblywoman Lori Saldaãa and San Diego District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis similarly voiced their support of Assembly Bill 1200, referred to as Angie’s Law.
The law, introduced by Saldaãa, would increase penalties for repeat hit-and-run offenders who cause the injury or death of another.
The law would carry harsher penalties for offenders with two or more prior hit-and-run or DUI convictions and other serious vehicular crimes.
Saldaãa authored the bipartisan bill with State Sen. Jack Scott, a Democrat from Pasadena, and Assemblyman Todd Spitzer, a Republican from Orange.
The Assembly Public Safety Committee was scheduled to hear the bill Tuesday, April 17, with Padilla scheduled to be present before the committee to support passage of the legislation.
Padilla has been a staunch advocate of AB1200 in honor of her daughter’s memory, she said.
“This could happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. And the fact that [people] are doing this to each other is unacceptable,” Padilla said.
Angie Padilla was walking home from a friend’s house along Clairemont Mesa Boulevard on July 23, 2005, when she was struck and killed by a drunken driver.
The driver fled the scene and was arrested seven months later.
The 50-year-old driver, Robin Charles Grady, eventually pled guilty, Padilla said.
Grady had multiple DUI convictions and was sentenced in the Padilla case to the maximum allowed by law ” four years and eight months, said San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis.
If passed, Angie’s Law would target drivers convicted of hit and run that results in injury.
Offenders convicted within 10 years of two or more previous violations of the same offense, or other vehicular offenses such as a DUI, could be sent to state prison for three, six or eight years and face fines between $1,000 and $10,000, according to language contained in the bill.
Although Padilla said she is still grieving her daughter’s death, she said her work with Angie’s Law will put a human face on the legislation.
Family members of other hit-and-run victims hope the bill will raise awareness, too.
Relatives of two other victims voiced their support of the bill during at the news conference.
Melanie Kortlang said she is “damn mad” with the current laws dealing with repeat hit-and-run offenders.
“If a drunk driver kills somebody while committing their crime of driving under the influence, I believe they should be held accountable because they’ve murdered somebody. They should be charged as such,” Kortlang said.
Her daughter, Amy Kortlang, was struck and killed by a drunk driver Oct. 9, 2006.
The driver, an illegal immigrant working for a company in Ramona, fled the scene.
The driver had four prior DUI offenses, Kortlang said.
The family members of 14-year-old Marchello Howard also held pictures of their loved one.
The boy was killed Oct. 1, 2004, by a driver under the influence who fled the scene, according to Luann Howard, the boy’s aunt.
The driver had two previous DUI convictions and was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison, Howard said.
Between January and March 2007, the California Highway Patrol handled 250 hit-and-run collisions in San Diego County, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Brad Baehr.
The San Diego Police Department’s traffic division handles an average of 60 fatalities each year, said SDPD Capt. Bill Edwards.
The department handles about 25 DUI-related fatalities each year and makes roughly 4,500 DUI-related arrests annually, he said.
Many factors cause drivers to flee a scene, Edwards said.
Reasons can range from driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and suspended-license violations to uninsured drivers trying to avoid the expense of an accident, he said.
Although there is a blanket moratorium on increased or new criminal penalties because of the overcrowded nature of the state prison system, with the support of the public there is a good chance the bill will succeed, according to Saldaãa.