Hit-and-Run Accident Generates Talk of Stricter Penalties

A recent bicycle hit and run accident has generated talk of tougher legislation on hit-and-run accidents. The most recent hit-and-run happened Tuesday morning at a residential intersection in East Salt Lake. A Utah Law maker says tougher laws against hit-and-run drivers is likely due to the increase in hit-and-run accidents over the last year.

Tuesdays mornings accident happened at 1400 East and 900 South reports KSL News. The car knocked a man off of his bicycle. The driver of the vehicle got out to look at the damage then got back into her car and drove away. "[She] stopped, got out of the car, went over and looked, raised her arms and said something in anguish and then got back in her vehicle and continued northbound on 1400 East," said Salt Lake police Detective Dennis McGowan.

Obviously a driver is expected to stop during any accident, it is sometimes a matter of life and death. Unfortunately, current laws in hit-and-run accidents are less severe than other states."You know, it's possible they're panicked. Maybe they don't have a driver's license. Maybe they're under the influence of drugs or alcohol," McGowan said. If they leave and are caught the next day they are usually sober which leaves insufficient evidence for a felony prosecution.

Utah is one of the few states where a hit-and-run is only a misdemeanor, even if the victim dies. "For me, it should never be less of a penalty for somebody to leave the scene and then come back the next day," Rep. Chris Herrod said. Herrod is already preparing the tougher bill for the next session. "I think it will be easier, unfortunately, next year, just because of the number of accidents we've had over the last two months," he said.

Hit-and-run accidents present a significant struggle for the party involved. Not only do they incur substantial medical complications but they are forced to shoulder the cost of the medical bills because the at-fault party flees the scene.

4-year-old Girl Bit by a Pit Bull in Kearns

A 4-year old girl was walking past a home with two adults when a pit bull attacked her near 4100 West and 500 South on Monday afternoon. The dog came out from behind the bushes and the adults tried to protect the 4-year old but the dog latched on to the girls leg.

The pit bull’s owner came outside and got the dog away from the girl. She was taken to the hospital with a large wound on her upper thigh. She is still recovering from injuries but fortunately the injuries were night life threatening. The Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office and animal control officers gave the dog owner several options as to what could be done with the pit bull. The owner chose to have his dog euthanized reports KSL news.

Legally speaking, the victim in this story has a claim against the owner of the dog that bit her.
According to Utah state law, no warning or “violent propensities” are needed since the law imposes “strict liability” on the dog’s owner.

Fatal Auto Accident at Mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon

A fatal auto accident near the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon tragically took the life of a 71-year-old Salt Lake City man. The accident took place Saturday at about 4:30 pm north of Wasatch Boulevard, reports the Salt Lake Tribune. Cottonwood Heights police Sgt. Mark Askerlund said the man was driving northbound in a floral delivery van when a SUV driving southbound went across the road’s center lines near 6900 South, striking the van on the driver’s side. The van’s driver was rushed by ambulance to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. The driver of the SUV was flown to Intermountain Medical Center and remains in critical condition. Police continue investigate the accident.

Several Auto Accidents in Utah County: One Fatal

Traffic was slow Friday evening as several auto accidents clogged Utah’s freeways. The most recent accident occurred near the University Parkway in Provo reports KSL News. Utah Highway Patrol troopers say the driver of a pickup truck did not see slowing traffic in front of him, by the time he noticed it was to late. The truck hit the vehicle in front of him causing a chain reaction with vehicles whose drivers did not have time to react to the crash in front. One person was flown to a nearby hospital; all others received only minor injuries.

A few miles south, at mile marker 261, a fatal auto accident occurred near the Springville exit. Three adults and two children were traveling in the car when it rolled out of control. UHP troopers say a 50-year old woman died in the crash, and all others in the vehicle were injured. The children, ages 5 and 7, were rushed to Primary Children’s Medical Center for treatment. The crash is currently under investigation, the cause is yet to be determined. We wish a full recovery to the young children involved in this accident.

Vehicle Runs a Stop Sign and Hits a Home

A vehicle slammed into the Hooper home of Ray and Maurine Hull, early Thursday morning. The vehicle was believed to being going 95 mph just before the crash occurred. The crash happened along 4000 South and 5100 West in Hooper reports KSL News. A GPS unit recovered at the accident showed that the pickup truck was traveling 95 mph before it ran a stop sign, hit another vehicle and slammed into the Hull’s home. “The crash shook the whole house, it scared my to death,.” said Mrs. Hull.

After they heard the noise the Hull’s ran into the living room to see the damage. She said she could see the wheels of a Dodge Ram through the side of her house, so she immediately called 911. Ray Hull said he could hear screaming coming from the truck. "I couldn't understand what he was saying," Ray said. "He was yelling and screaming. I was still in a tither myself, wondering what was going on." A few minutes later emergency crews came and discovered the driver of the other truck, 31-year-old Brandon Rowe, lying in the street about 100 yards from where his truck ended up. Authorities are still not sure if Rowe was thrown from his vehicle or if he exited his vehicle to walk towards the house. He remains in extremely critical condition in McKay-Dee Hospital.

The driver of the Dodge Ram, 30-year-old Dylan Booker, and his passenger, 30-year-old Andrew Amacher were also taken to the hospital, Booker with minor injuries and Amacher with more severe injuries.

Ray and Maurine have lived in their house for 39 years and have seen several accidents at the intersection but nothing close to the severity of this accident. Officers believe alcohol was likely a factor in the crash. The situation continues to develop and we wish the very best for all those involved in this accident.

Gov. Huntsman Signs Bill for harsher Penalties on Drunk Driving

Many Utah residents have heard of the Gov. Jon Huntsman’s most recent bill that eliminates the applications and fees previously required to drink at Utah’s restaurants and bars, but few have heard of the new “tough” legislation passed that imposes harsher penalties on drunk drivers. Concurrently with the bill passed to limit restrictions on Utah’s bars, Gov. Huntsman signed a bill that would require vehicle forfeiture and longer loss of drivers license for those drinkers that get behind the wheel. This bill is part of Gov. Huntsman’s liquor reform package reports the Deseret News. Under HB15, drunk drivers can lose their vehicles, while SB272 increases the length of time their drivers' licenses are suspended. Additionally, underage drinkers who are caught driving while intoxicated can potentially lose their licenses until they are 21. "I think that's a more important part than the other," Utah State Senator Michael Waddoups said, referring to the harsher consequences for drunk drivers. The drunk driving bills, he adds, "will change people's behavior and affect people's lives."

Utah already boasts of some of the harshest drunk driving penalties in the nation, and this bill further adds to the strict laws. I think we all hope that harsher penalties, coupled with individual responsibility will one day eradicate drunk driving, a problem that has affected the lives of so many.

Ron Kramer is a personal injury attorney with offices in Ogden, Draper, and Provo, Utah.

Hit-and-run suspect John Bishop Could Face Automobile Homicide

Police are close to arresting 34-year-old John Bishop who was allegedly the driver in a high speed hit-and-run auto accident on I-80 Wednesday April 1rst. KSL news reports Bishop sought medical treatment from an Intermountain Healthcare Hospital about 1am on Thursday morning.

Bishop, a top executive for Global Marketing Alliance in Salt Lake, was out celebrating his birthday with five other friends, Clifton R. Tolboe, Trent Longhurst, Jonah Lor, Paul Castellanos and Jason Palmer at a Salt Lake nightclub. Witnesses say he was intoxicated at the club then left with his friends to drive home in his white BMW. He was driving at speeds upwards of 100 mph on I-80 before he slammed into the back of a Mercedes. Passenger Jason Palmer was thrown from the vehicle and died on the scene. Other passengers in the BMW sustained serious injuries during the wreck. Kathleen and Andrew Blank, from Park City, were in the Mercedes. Blank was taken to the hospital with back injuries.

Bishop is denying involvement in the accident but officer Mike Holt of the UHP says they have plenty of evidence and witnesses to convict Bishop. "We do have witnesses that say he was the driver. He has not admitted to being the driver but, again, we do have witnesses that say he was the driver”. Bishop could face charges of automobile homicide.