Dear Editor:
In late June, Zackhary Simmons, a 21-year-old young man from Ramsey with his whole life ahead of him, was fatally struck by a driver who fled the scene near 6th Street and Willow Avenue in Hoboken. Zack is described by his family as an “old soul” and a “funny one for sure, always cracking a joke…creating laughter all around.” They also describe him as “an honorable, respectable child who valued his family and nurtured those relationships.”
The heartbreak of a parent is immeasurable in this situation. In the wake of their tragic loss, the father of Zackhary Simmons, Rickey Simmons, and Rickey’s fiancée Jennifer Jordan, bravely committed themselves to working toward a way to honor Zack and make New Jersey safer for pedestrians. This week marked the first big step in that direction.
After weeks of working with the family alongside Mayor Zimmer, I was proud to introduce “Zackhary’s Law.” This bill would help law enforcement officials catch perpetrators of hit-and-run collisions in New Jersey by disseminating information about the car or driver by way of road signs and through the media. Similar laws have been implemented in California and Colorado. In Denver, this law resulted in a 76 percent rate of arrests in hit and runs over a two year period. I have also worked with state law enforcement representatives in crafting this bill, who have said Zackhary’s Law would be “another great tool for law enforcement.” My office is in talks with GPS apps with the hope that they’ll agree to partner with the State to transmit Zack Alerts to their users.
This bill isn’t just about Zack – it’s about the thousands of families who have suffered a loss due to a driver cowardly speeding away after knowingly hurting someone with their car. Zackhary’s Law will also help our law enforcement officers quickly apprehend those motorists who choose to drive away when someone needs them most. The quicker law enforcement can catch a driver, the more likely it is to know the circumstances of the accident, such as if the driver was under the influence of drugs and alcohol. I hope this legislation reminds drivers who think of fleeing a scene that the person who was just struck needs your help, and if they do choose to flee, the whole state will be looking for them.
Sincerely,
Assemblywoman Annette Chaparro (D-33, Hudson)