In the near future, we will re-introduce legislation to establish a Hit-and-Run Advisory Alert system, to be known as “Jay Alerts.” The purpose of this legislation is to reduce hit-and-run accidents and enable rapid identification and apprehension of motorists who flee the scene of an accident in which serious bodily injury or death result.
Alerts to vehicle repair facilities under this bill shall be referred to as “Jay Alerts” in honor of eight-year-old Jayanna Powell, who was struck and killed in November of 2016 while walking home from school. The driver, a twenty-four-year-old male, allegedly fled the scene after striking Jayanna and attempted to hide his involvement by having a female acquaintance take the vehicle to a suburban repair shop twenty miles west of the city. Only after the auto repair shop owner saw a TV news report offering a reward for information leading to the driver’s arrest were police able to track down the suspect.
Following a hit-and-run accident resulting in serious bodily injury or death, this legislation requires the investigating law enforcement authority to alert all vehicle repair facilities in Pennsylvania through a uniform system. The information provided shall include, but not be limited to, as available, the following:
- Vehicle make, model, year, and color,
- License Plate Number,
- Unique identifying characteristics, and/or
- Extent of damage
For the purposes of enabling this notification system, all vehicle repair facilities must register with the Department to ensure accurate contact information.
Please join us in co-sponsoring this important legislation (formerly SB730 of 2023-2024).