As Hit-And-Run Arrest Rate Drops, State Pulls Plug On Critical Safety Tool
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — It's an epidemic plaguing cities across California. Drivers involved in car crashes who flee the scene, often leaving someone dead in their wake.
It's a crime that's going unpunished in most cases, with the percentage of hit-and-run cases solved plummeting in recent years.
California had a plan to catch the criminals, but CBS13 learned they pulled the plug on the statewide effort less than a year after it was launched over fears the federal government could slash funding for other projects.
Adam Kilpatrick knows about the loss a hit-and-run driver can leave behind. A driver took the life of his son in November, just south of Watt and Poplar. The sun had gone down and 19-year-old Daulton Kilpatrick was riding his bike home from work when he was hit and killed by a car that kept going.
It's six months later, and there are no answers.
"So much gets wrecked when you hit someone and you leave," Adam said.
It's a problem that's plaguing Sacramento. So far this year, nine people have already been killed. That's one less than the city's annual average. In the last few years, the total number of crashes have yo-yo'd. Statistics show an increase from 2015 to 2016, but a slight dip in 2017.
But there's been one troubling constant.
In 2015, 23 percent of hit-and-run drivers were arrested. In 2016 that dropped to 19 percent and in 2017 it was below 15 percent.
California legislators joined the fight to catch hit-and-run drivers, passing a law to enact Yellow Alerts. They are similar to Amber Alerts and would put identifying information involving the crash on highway message boards, including the suspect's car and license plate.
But less than a year after becoming law, the lights went out on Yellow Alerts.
CBS13 obtained a letter from the federal officials denying use of the alerts, citing safety concerns and worries they would bring too much distraction for drivers.
Caltrans issues one alert in San Bernardino in February 2017 before it pulled the plug, worried it would jeopardize federal funding.
With each passing day, Adam holds out hope that his son's killer will be caught.
"He had a lot of life still left to live," he said.
It's a crime that too often doesn't come with closure, leaving behind a lifetime of heartache.
Caltrans says it could appeal the decision, but they haven't discussed plans to do so, yet.
