HOBOKEN — Assemblywoman Annette Chaparro is planning to introduce ‘Zackhary’s Law,’ a bill that would aid law enforcement to find hit-and-run drivers through an alert system similar to Silver and Amber Alerts.
The alert system would publish information on road signs, to state employee and law enforcement cell phones, and to the media.
According to a media release, the bill was inspired by the efforts of the family of 21-year-old Zackhary Simmons, who was killed due to a hit-and-run collision in Hoboken in late June. Simmons was the cousin of NBA athlete Ben Simmons who plays for the Philadelphia 76ers.
“I hope this bill reminds drivers thinking of fleeing an accident that the whole state will be looking for you, and you will be caught,” Chaparro said. “I want to thank the Simmons family for working so hard on this bill and sharing their time and inspiring me to craft this legislation to honor Zack and encourage other drivers to stop and help an injured person instead of cowardly fleeing a scene.”
Similar alert systems have been implemented in California and Colorado, leading to a higher number of arrests in hit and run incidents, according to the media release.
“As someone who lost a family member to a hit-and-run in Hoboken, I am thankful for the Simmons family’s courage and efforts to help make our streets safer and bring hit-and-run drivers to justice,” said Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer, whose father-in-law, Henry Grossbard, was hit by a driver on Third Street and Sinatra Drive and never caught.
Victims or relatives of victims of hit-and-run incidents are encouraged to contact the office of Assemblywoman Annette Chaparro if they’re interested in expressing public support for the bill.
The dirver, a 50-year-old man, was found and charged in early July after New York police stopped him for alleged possession of marijuana.
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