Sarasota County teen killed in crash inspires new bill aimed at catching Florida hit-and-run drivers

SARASOTA, Fla. - Tracking down hit-and-run drivers can be tough for law enforcement, so Florida lawmakers are now turning to car shops for help. If passed, a new bill would make it so body shops would need crash reports before repairing a car.

Senate Bill 194 is also known as the "Lilly Glaubach Act." It's in memory of 13-year-old Lilly Glaubach who was struck and killed while riding her bicycle last year. 

"She was the best. She was so sweet. She was innocent. She was funny. She was a great big sister. She was so smart," Lilly Glaubach's mom, Sarah Alexander, said.

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The 13-year-old's life was cut short back on August 16, 2022. At the time, Lilly was riding her bike home from Pine View School in Osprey and had just entered the crosswalk when she was struck by a driver 66-year-old David Chang who prosecutors say didn't stop.

"It was wildly hurtful that someone could run over another human and immediately shift to self-preservation mode," Lilly Glaubach’s step-dad Paul Alexander said. "Run away, run several counties away. Try to hide it. Lie about it."

He was eventually caught when he took his damaged car to a body shop in Tampa telling workers a tree fell through his windshield. In September, Chang was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his role in the crash. 

The whole idea for the "Lilly Glaubach Act" began as a conversation with state lawmakers.

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"There’s no system in place to track cars that might match an accident," Sarah Alexander said.

It’s why State Senator Joe Gruters came up with SB 194, and if it's passed, repair shops would have to get written crash reports from customers before preparing work estimates. If reports aren’t available, the bill would require shops to fill out forms that would go to law enforcement agencies. 

It would be similar to how pawn shops record a seller’s information to help police track down thieves.

"I know that this is something she would be very proud to be involved in, because hopefully, it can help another family or another person from the same kind of anguish," Sarah Alexander said.

The bill has been filed for the 2024 legislative session.