Bill Text: WV HB2099 | 2017 | Regular Session | Engrossed
Bill Title: Defining the act of leaving the scene of a crash involving death or serious bodily injury as a felony; Erin's Law
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2017-03-30 - Resolution adopted to extend conference [HB2099 Detail]
Download: West_Virginia-2017-HB2099-Engrossed.html
WEST virginia legislature
2017 regular session
ENGROSSED
Committee Substitute
for
House Bill 2099
By Delegate McGeehan
[Originating in the Committee on the Judiciary; Introduced on February 8, 2017.]
A BILL to amend and reenact §17C-4-1 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to crashes involving death or personal injuries; creating a crime of knowingly leaving the scene of a crash; creating a crime of knowingly leaving the scene of a crash that is the proximate cause of serious bodily injury; establishing definitions to be used in the application of this section for bodily injury and seriously bodily injury; and providing criminal penalties.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That §17C-4-1 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 4. CRASHES.
§17C-4-1. Crashes involving death or personal injuries; Erin’s Law.
(a) As used in this section:
(1) “Bodily injury” means injury that causes substantial physical pain, illness or any impairment of physical condition; and
(2) “Serious bodily injury” means bodily injury that creates a substantial risk of death, that causes serious or prolonged disfigurement, prolonged impairment of health, prolonged loss or impairment of the function of any bodily organ, loss of pregnancy, or the morbidity or mortality occurring because of a preterm delivery.
(a) (b) The driver of any vehicle involved in a
crash resulting in injury to or death of any person shall immediately stop the
vehicle at the scene of the crash or as close to the scene as possible and
return to and remain at the scene of the crash until he or she has complied
with the requirements of section three of this article: Provided, That
the driver may leave the scene of the crash as may reasonably be necessary for
the purpose of rendering assistance to an injured a person injured
in the crash, including the driver, as required by said section
three Every such of this article. stop shall be made without
obstructing traffic more than is necessary.
(b) (c) Any person knowingly violating the
provisions of subsection (a) of this section after being involved in a crash
resulting in the death of any person is guilty of a felony and, upon
conviction, thereof, shall be fined by not more than $5,000, or imprisoned in a
correctional facility for not less than one year nor more than five years, or
both fined and confined. Any driver who is involved in a crash that
proximately causes another person to suffer bodily injury and knowingly
violates subsection (b) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon
conviction thereof, shall be punished by confinement in jail for not more than
one year, or fined not more than $1,000, or both fined and confined.
(d) Any driver who is involved in a crash that proximately causes another person to suffer serious bodily injury and knowingly violates subsection (b) of this section is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, shall be imprisoned in a correctional facility for not less than one year nor more than three years, or fined not more than $2,500, or both fined and imprisoned.
(c) (e) Any person knowingly violating the
provisions of subsection (a) of this section after being involved in a crash
resulting in physical injury to any person is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon
conviction thereof, shall be punished by confinement in jail for not more than
one year, or fined not more than $1,000, or both. Any driver who is
involved in a crash that proximately causes the death of another person and
knowingly violates subsection (b) of this section is guilty of a felony and,
upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than $5,000, or imprisoned in
a correctional facility for not less than one year nor more than five years, or
both fined and imprisoned: Provided, That any death charged under this
subsection must occur within one year of the offense.
(d) (f) The commissioner shall revoke the license
or permit or operating privilege to drive of any resident or nonresident person
convicted pursuant to the provisions of this section for a period of one year
from the date of conviction or the date of release from incarceration,
whichever is later.
(e) (g) This section may be known and cited as
“Erin's Law”.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to define the act of leaving the scene of a crash involving death or serious bodily injury as a felony. The bill also establishes the act of leaving the scene of a crash that does not proximately cause death or injury as a misdemeanor and defines bodily injury and serious bodily injury.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.
