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Thursday, February 27, 1997

House committee approves Lori's Law

By SARAH HORNADAY Associated Press Writer

AUSTIN (AP) - Harsher punishment for juvenile hit-and-run drivers passed another hurdle Wednesday as the bill moved out of a House committee.

The bill, already passed by the Texas Senate, is in memory of a 12-year-old who died after being struck by a teen-age motorist in Houston and passed unanimously out of the House Juvenile Justice and Family Issues Committee.

"Lori's Law" was prompted by the death of Lori Ann Braden on April 8, 1995, just three days after her 12th birthday. The teen-ager who ran her down faced only a $100 fine under current law.

Bill author Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, said that under his bill, a juvenile hit-and-run driver would face criminal charges and punishment of up to five years incarceration and a $5,000 fine.

Depending on the circumstances of the case, the juvenile also could be certified to stand trial as an adult.

If it gets the necessary House vote, a provision added by Sen. Chris Harris, R-Arlington, would allow the bill to take effect immediately.

In committee, lawmakers heard a similar story to Braden's in which an Austin family was torn apart by a juvenile driver and left with little legal recourse.

"This won't go away for me. I don't have a leg. I can no longer play with my son. I'm here to see that this bill goes forward," said Michael Cabral.

Cabral's car - with his wife and two of his children inside - was parked on the side of Interstate 35 in San Antonio in 1995. While, Cabral was standing on the side of the road with his 2-year-old son, a teen-age driver lost control of his vehicle and struck Cabral and his son before hitting the parked car.

Cabral's son was killed. Cabral lost his leg, and his family was injured in the car. The youth tried to leave the scene. Ultimately, the incident was deemed an accident and no charges were filed.

"Clearly, on leaving the scene, this fixes the problem," said Rep. Scott Hochberg, D-Houston. "It's not attempting to reform all of juvenile driving. You don't know what kind of medical help is needed without stopping to see. That's no less important if the driver is a juvenile."

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The hit-and-run bill is SB81. Send a Letter to the Editor about This Story | Start or Join A Discussion about This Story
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