TALLAHASSEE – Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill Tuesday that cracks down on hit-and-run drivers in the wake of a 2012 fatal wreck in Miami.
The bill (SB 102/HB183) is called the Aaron Cohen Life Protection Act, named after a 35-year-old South Florida man killed in 2012 while bicycling.
The measure’s supporters – including ֱ General Pam Bondi and state Rep. Bryan Nelson, R-Apopka – said it would equalize the prison sentence for leaving the scene of a fatal accident with the punishment for DUI manslaughter.
Florida law currently allows briefer prison terms for those who flee a crash. The bill also would bump up minimum sentences for both offenses to four years.
Cohen and another biker were run over by Michele Traverso, who fled and turned himself in 17 hours later – after it was impossible to determine whether he was drunk. He was sentenced to 22 months in prison and released last October.
The bill also would require that the convicted drivers have their licenses suspended for a minimum of three years.
“No one should have to suffer the loss of a loved one due to reckless driving, and with this important law, we’ll be more effective in protecting families,” Scott said.
