SACRAMENTO – A bipartisan bill to increase the maximum prison sentence for hit-and-run drivers who kill someone was approved unanimously in the Assembly Appropriations Committee today and moves to the Assembly Floor.
Gavin’s Law (AB 582) is named in honor of Central Valley educator Gavin Gladding who was killed in September 2018 by a driver who hid from law enforcement for weeks before being caught. The driver, who was believed to have been drinking just prior to the accident, was caught and sentenced to three years in prison in November 2018. Gavin’s family learned that he was released on probation in December 2019 after spending only one year in prison.
AB 582 is joint authored by Assemblymembers Jim Patterson (R-Fresno) as well as Mike Gipson (D-Carson) and Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella).
Under California law, the maximum punishment for a fatal hit-and-run accident is only four years behind bars. DUI drivers get several more years behind bars if caught, however, those who leave the scene of an accident and sober up before arrest can avoid additional felony DUI charges completely.
Passionate testimony from Gavin’s widow, Susan, at the bill’s first hearing in the Public Safety Committee in March 2019 changed the minds of several members of the committee who admittedly were prepared to vote against the bill.
“The Gladding family told their story, and absolutely changed the minds of the majority on that committee, I sat here and saw it happen,” said Assembly-member Patterson, after the hearing.
“It is going forward, and I, my hope is that either the bill as it’s drafted or some version of this bill will actually get passed and, and it will be in honor of my husband,” said Gladding, speaking outside of the Assembly hearing, afterwards.
“We hope that if it happens in the first year,” said Patterson said “and the Governor [Newsom] signs it — it goes into effect that January.”
