For the past year, our community has been crushed by the tragic loss of young lives over and over again. Aurora has seen numerous cases of fatal hit-and-run accidents, the majority being children and young adults.
Accidents are bound to happen, and unfortunately, they can result in death. But there is a crucial difference between an accident and a hit-and-run. When a driver causes a fatal car crash and flees, they are abandoning their responsibility, and in many cases, the victims’ only chance at survival. They could have stayed and called for help, but instead left someone to die. This is the fine line between an accident and murder.
“The window of opportunity for a chance at survival is narrow for a severely injured patient. Road traffic and other injuries kill more people every year than HIV-AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria combined,” states Think Global Health.
The more time that is wasted when saving a severely injured victim, the less likely they are to survive, and when someone commits a hit and run, that crucial time is stolen from the victim.
Currently, the sentencing for a fatal hit and run is classified as a class 3 felony, and can range between 4 and 12 years or $3,000 to $750,000. In context, some other class 3 felonies include drug felonies, first-degree assault, and theft of property. The law treats leaving someone to die on the road the same as embezzlement.
Recently, a hit-and-run driver was sentenced to seven years for the death of 18-year-old Emiliano Malpica in Commerce City. The driver, 20-year-old Erik Hernandez-Escobar, crashed into the vehicle while street racing, drove away, and reported his car as missing as an attempt to deter law enforcement. Escobar did everything in his power to escape his actions, which resulted in the death of another young life. His reckless actions murdered Emiliano. In seven years, when Escobar is released, he will only be 27 years old; he will still be able to live a full life, while Emiliano was completely stripped of his.
Even more recently, a 16-year-old who was very close to many Rangeview students was fatally struck while riding his scooter in the bike lane. The driver sped off and left the boy with severe injuries, who later passed in the hospital. Every second is vital when it comes to saving a life, and if the driver had stayed, the outcome could have been different.
Young adults are disproportionately involved in fatal hit-and-run accidents. Rangeview High School, School Resource Officer, Daniel Garcia, stated, “Younger people, they’re just not as educated. They don’t know as much in terms of the legal system and consequences. If you were to ask a student what they would need to do in the event of an accident, more likely than not, they won’t know.”
Education can aid in the prevention of these fatal incidents and save countless young lives. As a community, we need to emphasize and improve education surrounding the topic of dealing with accidents. However, this is only one step in addressing this issue.
These tragedies are not isolated incidents; they are part of a devastating pattern. A driver who leaves a victim on the road is making the conscious decision to directly endanger and take a human life. That decision should carry a penalty that reflects its severity.
Colorado lawmakers must re-examine sentencing laws for hit-and-run that result in death. A young life should not be met with a slap on the wrist. We must raise the penalty, not only to punish, but to prevent the loss of more young lives.
