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Soon, Senator Jeff Stone and Assemblyman Toby Yurek plan on introducing Rex’s Law for consideration to the Legislature. Rex’s law is a bill that addresses the current criminal penalties associated with reckless driving fatalities, and it was all inspired by the tragic death of a 13-year-old boy, Rex Patchett.
Rex Patchett was a beloved teenager who was innocently riding his scooter in front of his school. As he played, a reckless driver suddenly struck the boy at an unbelievable 90 mph. The 21-year-old was arrested, charged, and convicted of reckless driving.
Despite that, the driver could serve as few as two years in prison before becoming eligible for parole.
For many, this sentence doesn’t reflect the severity of the crime. Rex, his family, and the lawmakers behind Rex’s Law believe that there should be tougher criminal penalties for drivers who cause injury and death. While Rex’s family is happy that the culprit got the maximum sentence, which is six years behind bars, they still believe that harsher sentences should be the norm when a life is lost.
With the new legislation, penalties for reckless driving resulting in substantial bodily harm or death would increase to 10-20 years in prison. If the accident occurred in a school or construction zone, then the new legislation would add on an additional 7 years to the sentence.
While everyone wants to seek out justice for someone who has been unjustly injured or killed, it’s the intent of the United States justice system to also ensure that the perpetrator is treated fairly, too. With that being said, criminal justice is a balancing act. It’s extremely tough to determine what types of penalties match the losses associated with a behavior or action.
If you’ve recently been arrested for reckless driving, then it’s important to know your rights and legal options. This recent proposal is coming on the heels of one of the deadliest car accident years on record for Nevada state. That being said, any individual accused of causing a motor vehicle fatality is likely to be hit with the fullest extent of the law considering the current times.
That doesn’t mean that you should submit yourself to these penalties without arguing your case, though. Every accused citizen has the right to hire a criminal defense attorney that can help them secure a more favorable legal outcome. If you’re in a similar situation, then our office can help.
Schedule a consultation with our lawyers now to learn more about our services.
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