When Amelia Keown, 16, died in a fatal car accident, Amanda Moore lost her daughter and Wayne Keown lost a granddaughter. Now, Wayne and Amanda are urging the state to change the law to prevent similar accidents from taking place.
They wanted to change the law after learning more about the other driver involved in the accident. John Charles Perkins, a Maryville resident with a checkered criminal past, was speeding when he crashed into Amelia’s vehicle. He also died in the accident.
What bothered Amelia’s family was that Perkins’ record showed charges of driving without a license, fleeing police, failure to yield to emergency vehicles and reckless driving. While on parole, he was involved in six car accidents. His record also showed charges involving drugs, theft and robbery. Perkins was on parole when he caused Amelia’s accident.
‘AMELIA’S LAW’
Not understanding how Perkins could be not only on parole but also allowed to drive, they aim to pass Amelia’s Law, a regulation similar to the Three Strikes law that would keep drivers with records like Perkins’ off the streets for good. They have collected 10,000 signatures so far, and they recently met with Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey to discuss the law. Amanda said she felt good about the first meeting.
“We didn’t expect to go in there and then the law to be changed,” Amanda said. “All we wanted from the first meeting was for him to say, ‘Okay, we’ll help you and here’s where you need to go next,’ and that’s exactly what we got.”
We applaud Amelia’s family for using our legal system to make the roads a safer place. If you lost a loved one in a fatal car accident, we might be able to help you seek justice against the negligent party. Call us today at (615) 866-3938 to learn more.
“You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.” – James 2:24
The Law Office of Stanley A. Davis – Nashville car accident attorney