Ohio House Passes Bill to Increase Penalties for Failure to Stop After an Accident

The Ohio House of Representatives today passed House Bill 110 with broad bipartisan support, sponsored by State Representative Brian Hill (R-Zanesville). HB 110, known as “Brandon’s Law,” increases the penalties for failure to stop after an accident and failure to stop after a nonpublic road accident when the offenses result in the death or serious physical harm to a person.

“I am very pleased to see a unanimous vote on House Bill 110, both out of the Judiciary Committee and the entire House,” said Hill. “Now our work begins to move the bill through the Senate.”

Under current law, the penalty for failing to stop after an accident that results in serious physical harm to a person is a fifth degree felony. Additionally, the current penalty for failing to stop after an accident that results in death is a third degree felony. HB 110 would raise both of these penalties to a second degree felony.  Fleeing the scene would now hurt one’s chances of seeing a lesser charge.

The bill is named after Brandon Pethtel of Kimbolton, a fifteen-year-old who was fatally struck by a motorist and whose friend was thrown some 90 feet as a result of the collision. The driver fled the scene and was picked up the following day, but received a lesser charge due to not being apprehended at the time of the crime.