Law For Long Island Teen Killed In Crash Passes NY Senate

ALBANY, NY — A law named after a Holbrook teen, who died in a car crash caused by a driver with multiple drivers' license suspensions, passed the state senate on Wednesday.

Angelica Nappi, 14, died in 2008 after the car she was in was broadsided by a Jeep driven by a man with seven previous driver's license suspensions, Sen. Dean Murray's office said. The driver ignored seven license suspensions and then ran a red light before the crash, and only faced a misdemeanor, CBS News reported.

"Angelica's Law" aims to prevent similar drivers from legally being on the road by reducing the number of prior suspensions imposed for moving violations needed to qualify for first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle to become a class “E” felony from 10 to five times.

The bill would also make the offense punishable of up to two years imprisonment with a possible fine between $500 and $5,000. It has been circulating in Albany since Murray first penned it in 2010.

The bill passed the Assembly, where it was sponsored by Assemb. Fred Thiele, last week 141-2.

Murray said that the teen's mother, Dawn Nappi, has been fighting all this time to get it passed.

"She's been such a warrior through this whole thing, and she has never given up," he said. "And so it's important, I think, that she's here today and she sees this because it's never passed both chambers."

"It's never gotten to the governor for a signature," he said. "It looks like that's finally going to happen. It passed the Assembly last week overwhelmingly. And now, Senator [Kevin] Thomas and I are bringing it to the floor today where we expected to pass overwhelmingly."

Nappi, who is in Albany for the event, said she has been in a fight to get the legislation passed because she does not want any family to have to go through the tragedy that her family did.

"To bury your child is just horrific and to lose a child because somebody is negligent behind the wheel and shouldn't be driving in the first place adds insult to injury, and then the consequence that is nearly just a slap on the wrist, when you know you're looking at a death of a loved one. "

To watch the senate's proceedings, click here.

This story will be updated. Check back later.