Bachman's Law
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Posted: 5:38 PM Aug 8, 2008
Bachman's Law
Rep. Ron Wait proposes law requiring law enforcement officers use lights and sirens when speeding
Reporter: Tina Stein
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Nothing can change the Bachman family's tragedy. But Representative Ron Wait hopes how brothers DJ and Aaron were killed can prevent others from going through similar heartbreak.

"Unfortunately it takes a tragedy like this to heighten the awareness we have a problem out there that someone apparently didn't use common sense," Wait says.

The double fatal accident happened in January 2006, when the Bachman's car driven by their sister Kori, was struck by Winnebago County Deputy Joseph Boomer. He was speeding over a hundred miles an hour, without his lights and sirens on, causing the Bachman's not to see him. So now wait is proposing Bachman's Law, which would require all officers to use lights and sirens if speeding to a crime scene. Since now, they can be used at officer's discretion.

"Anytime you're traveling excessive speeds, that you should have your lights and sirens on and that's as simple as it is and that puts common sense into the law," says Wait.

"Unfortunately Mr. Wait is trying to politicize a very tragic event he's on the Transportation Committee as a ranking member and this incident occurred 2 1/2 years ago why is he bringing it up now three months before an election," says State Representative Candidate Greg Tuite.

Tuite says he wants to hear opinions from traffic safety experts before drawing any conclusions. Meanwhile, Wait says he chose now to submit legislation since Boomer was just acquitted of criminal charges.

The Bachman family released this statement. They say "our family would like to thank Representative Ron Wait for reaching out to us with regard to this proposed legislation. We hope this law will detour police officers from driving recklessly and prevent other families from experiencing senseless death or serious injury to their loved ones." -Frank, Kim and Lindsey Bachman.

Calls made to various local and state law enforcement agencies were not returned.

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