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By DEL. ANDY GUEST
31st District
Mike Solak, former Warren County Commonwealth’s Attorney, came to Richmond to argue the people’s case before the House Courts of Justice Committee on behalf of a bill I am putting in this year which addresses a particularly heavyweight issue: vehicular homicide.
I am sure many people remember the tragic accident in Warren County last April wherein a truck driver ran over and killed State Trooper Lee Henderson and seriously injured the folks who had been pulled off to the shoulder of the road by Trooper Henderson for a speeding violation. While this story remains forevermore a local tragedy in the minds and hearts of those of us who live in the area and who were perhaps affected personally by the incident, the inspiration for my bill came from the truck driver going scot-free because of the weakness and confusion that currently exists in the penalty laws of the Commonwealth.
Our experience encompasses an important issue for all Virginians and directly affects our state’s DWI laws and those involving reckless driving and driving under the influence of drugs.
While MADD and the Attorney General favor a felony bill, my legislation requests a misdemeanor penalty, which is more in keeping with the Maryland example — a penalty of up to one year in jail, a $1,000 fine or both — which is more than is currently provided for in Virginia.
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