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Updated: 9:24 AM Feb 9, 2012
"The Matt Robbins Act"
IDABEL, OK -- Sometimes it takes a tragedy to spark change. That is what one police officer in Oklahoma hopes can happen after his close friend was killed in a highway accident.
Posted: 5:00 PM Feb 8, 2012Reporter: Kristen Shanahan Email Address: kristen.shanahan@kxii.com |
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IDABEL, OK -- Sometimes it takes a tragedy to spark change. That is what one police officer in Oklahoma hopes can happen after his close friend was killed in a highway accident.
Forty-year-old David Matthew Robbins, "Matt" to his family and friends, was a well known police officer not only in Idabel, but across Texoma.
Matt's widow Amy says he served 15 years in law enforcement in different agencies including Fannin County. She says he touched lives in every community he worked in.
"He was solely devoted to his job. Wherever it was. Whatever department it was. That was his love," Mrs. Robbins said.
Officer Robbins's life was cut short when he was hit by a truck on June 28th of last year while riding his motorcycle. Matt's friend and fellow officer Derrick Taylor says the day Matt was killed was like every other except for a small thunderstorm that rolled through town.
Taylor says he was the last person to speak to Matt before he made his way back to his Honey Grove home. He says he warned his friend not to take his usual route to avoid the bad weather.
"He told me no I'm grown and I'm going to go," Taylor said. "Well, Matt didn't even make it to the storm. My friend died on the side of Highway 37 from catastrophic injuries."
Taylor says he lost his "brother" when a Texas Man Jimmy Lee Eastman passed another vehicle on the two-lane highway while Matt, riding his motorcycle, was headed towards him head-on. With little time to react and limited options Taylor says Matt tried to make it between the two vehicles, but unfortunately he could not.
"Right around 10 o'clock our best friend knocked on our back door, and I went to the back door and saw who was standing there I knew that the life I knew was never the same," Mrs. Robbins said.
Officer Robbins is gone, but Taylor says the man responsible for the accident has never faced a day in court.
Taylor says since there was no substance abuse involved in the accident Eastman was charged with "Negligent Homicide", which in Oklahoma is a misdemeanor and not extraditable in the United States.
"That person, all they have to do is to avoid the court process is stay out of Oklahoma," Taylor said.
Frustrated, Taylor took it upon himself to write a bill for the state legislature that he says would create a charge of "Gross Negligent Homicide", which would be a felony and an extraditable offense. He says anyone convicted under the new law would be required to spend five years in the Department of Corrections and pay a higher fine.
"That is the entire sole purpose of me writing the "Matt Robbins Act" is to attempt to help every Oklahoman, and their families get the do justice by allowing us to get that person simply to court," Taylor said.
If the bill is passed Taylor says it would not change anything in the case of his friends death, but he says it would help families in the future find a peace of mind.
Amy Robbins says despite her loss she hopes light will shine through the tragedy and her husband can continue touching lives.
"Matt was always there to help whoever needed to be helped," Mrs. Robbins said. "It didn't matter what time of the day or night he was always there, and this is his way of continuing to help."
"Don't let this happen to you. Help support me and the "Matt Robbins Act," Taylor said.
Taylor says he has passed the bill along to Oklahoma State Senator Jerry Ellis and is still waiting to hear back.
We attempted to make contact with Mr. Eastman, but were not able to reach him for comment.
Taylor says try and help him pass this law by talking to your local senators and state representatives.
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