Families want tougher penalties for hit-and-run

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Families who've experienced hit and run accidents first hand gathered at the Capitol on Tuesday to lend support for a bill that would make the penalty harsher for failure to stop and render aid resulting in death.

"We want people to stay on the scene,” said Laurie Griffin, whose daughter Courtney was killed in the high-profile crash in Austin's Tarrytown section in May 2011. “We want people to call for help."

Sens. Kirk Watson and Wendy Davis filed Senate Bill 275 . It would make failing to stop and render aid a second-degree felony. Right now, it carries a Class C felony charge. The change is something Laurie Griffin is behind.

"We don't have until next session to pass SB 275,” said Griffin. “We're losing too many lives. We need to close the loophole this session."

Gabrielle Nestande, the one-time Capitol aide charged in Courtney Griffin's death, was sentenced to 10 years probation for criminally negligent homicide.

Austin Police Department Chief Art Acevado sat in to show his support during a Senate committee hearing.

Another family did as well. Leslie Hussey was in the room. Her husband, Mark Gobble, was struck and killed by a truck last June. 

In her first public statement, she wrote, "Mark's untimely death has rocked our worlds, and it has been a never-ending nightmare for me to witness firsthand the kids' deep pain over losing their father."

She went on to say, "The current FSRA law is not an appropriate consequence for those who hit a person, cause a serious injury-death, and flee. Far from it. It encourages drivers to ignore their responsibilities to victims and run away, especially if they have something to hide from the law."

"The people who are dying from this crime are people we can't afford to lose,” said Griffin. “They're the ones giving back."

Once the bill moves out of the committee, it'll go to the Senate floor. If passed, it goes to the House side. After passing in the House, the governor has to sign it into law.