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Hernando Today

Father still hopeful for law to ban texting while driving

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By KYLE MARTIN

Hernando Today

Published: April 23, 2009

SPRING HILL - Stephen Augello is still crossing his fingers that some action will be taken against Florida motorists who text while driving.

There are 12 bills pending in the Legislature that ban talking or texting on cell phones while driving. It appears none will make it to the floor before the 2009 session ends in two weeks.

For Augello, limiting cell phone use while driving is personal. His daughter, Alessandra Augello, was killed in a Pasco County car crash on Nov. 10. She was 17.

The other driver, 19-year-old Alyssa Dyer, was killed. Based on conversations with Dyer's family, Augello believes she was texting right before the crash.

The loss of his daughter was the impetus behind "Allie's Law," which would ban texting while driving. In name, Allie's Law didn't make it on the books, though there are a dozen similar bills.

Augello has spent this session trying to get the word out and has collected 2,000 signatures for a petition through his Web site: allieslaw.com.

For now, he's using what few connections he has behind the scenes to bring attention to the issue.

"I'll back any of (the bills) as long as we can get a foot in the door," Augello said Wednesday.

Reporter Kyle Martin can be reached at 352-544-5271 or kmartin@hernandotoday.com.

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