16 years after the tragic death of Long Island teenager, ‘Angelica’s Law’ goes into effect today

It took 16 years, but Dawn Nappi’s fight to prevent other parents from experiencing the pain she experienced has been completed.

As of today, Angelica’s Law is officially in effect.

The law, named after Holbrook teenager Angelica Nappi, reduces the number of license revocations a driver can have before being charged with first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. The previous law set this number at 10, but now it is five.

On February 19, 2008, 14-year-old Nappi was killed when a driver with seven suspended licenses ran a red light at the intersection of County Route 101 and Woodside Boulevard in Medford. The driver crashed into the car Nappi was in, killing him and injuring the other passengers in the car.

At the time, the driver was charged with a misdemeanor and served only four months in prison.

A felony conviction could result in 1 to 4 years in state prison.

Supporters say this change will help keep high-risk drivers off the road by targeting those who repeatedly violate traffic laws.