The Medina Alert-Hit and Run Bill (HB14-1191) was signed into law in Colorado by Governor John Hickenlooper on March 25, 2014. The Medina Alert program is a voluntary partnership between law-enforcement agencies, media, taxis and other transportation agencies, in order to activate an urgent bulletin in the event of serious hit and run accidents. Through electronic signage along highways across Colorado, and through radio/TV broadcasts, emails and push notifications directly from the Medina mobile app, the entire community is galvanized to assist in the search and apprehension of the hit-and-run suspect.
The Medina Alert program was named after Jose Medina, who was hit and killed by a hit and run driver on January 22, 2011. This case was the first call to the newly formed, Taxis on Patrol (TOP) program, in which trained Taxis on Patrol drivers in the Denver Metro area followed the suspect’s vehicle which eventually led to the capture and arrest of the suspect.
Now there’s an app as well.
“This is really one of a kind technology that allows the user to be a good witness, remain safe while doing so and easily submit tips via email, photos, video and voice recordings. The Medina Alert App will help us continue to assist law enforcement with creative communications tools to challenge the impossible and solve the unsolvable,” said Larry L. Stevenson, creator of The Medina Alert-Hit & Run Communication System. The mobile app also enables the app user to track where serious bodily injury/fatal hit and runs have occurred, sorted by those cases that are solved, and those that remain unsolved.
The Medina Alert Program is a non-profit, 501c3, so if you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to the Medina Alert Program, you can click the “Donate” button right from within the mobile app. 100% of the proceeds from donations go towards hit and run research awareness and education, victim’s assistance, and to a Witness/Tipster reward fund.