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State Lawmakers Back Kevin’s Law

WILKES-BARRE — A mother’s mission to change the state law in memory of her little boy now has some lawmakers on her side. It’s called Kevin...

WILKES-BARRE -- A mother's mission to change the state law in memory of her little boy now has some lawmakers on her side. It's called Kevin's Law, and it's named after five-year-old Kevin Miller, who was killed in a deadly hit and run in Wilkes-Barre.

This is the little boy Kevin's Law is named after: Kevin Miller. The five-year-old was killed by a hit-and-run driver in Wilkes-Barre just before Christmas in 2012. It's a night that his mother, Caroline Miller, can't erase from her memory.

"We thought Kevin was stuck on the car. This is the type of deplorable behavior this flawed Pennsylvania law encourages," said Kevin Miller's mother Caroline Miller.

The state law she's talking about sentences criminals to a minimum of one year in prison for fleeing the scene of a deadly hit and run. But if the driver stays at the scene, he or she faces a minimum of three years in prison.

In this case, this man, Thomas Letteer, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 2 to 5 years behind bars. Now the Millers and Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis want to increase the minimum for fleeing to three years.

"The effect of different mandatory minimum sentences continues to encourage defendants to leave and flee the scene," said Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis.

Representative Mike Carroll and Senator Lisa Baker are both working to get Kevin's Law passed in Harrisburg. It calls for a harsher punishment in hit and run cases.

Representative Carroll says the House Transportation Committee has the bill now. Several other representatives and senators support Kevin's Law. Kevin Miller's mother says she hopes it's enough to make a change statewide.

"I will fight to make sure that Kevin's Law is passed through whatever legislative means or action is necessary," said Miller.

State Representative Mike Carroll expects the House Transportation Committee to vote on Kevin's Law next month. A similar bill is making its way through the state senate.

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