Robert Levesque didn’t deserve to die.

Two years ago, however, he was hit by a fast-moving snowmobile while walking on Sabattus Pond near the shore. The driver, Steven Davies, left the scene, leaving Levesque badly injured and abandoned on the ice. He died later that night after help was finally summoned.

Unlike a car accident, it’s not currently a crime to leave the scene of a snowmobile accident. L.D. 1220 would fix that, making it a Class C felony for someone to flee the scene and knowingly leave someone behind.

In July 2004, Davies was sentenced to 364 days in jail and fined $500 for the civil violation of failing to report an accident. For many who knew Levesque, the sentence seemed too light. According to Marc Levesque, immediate help might have saved his father’s life.

To date, no one has spoken against L.D. 1220. It’s a common-sense piece of legislation that corrects a legal loophole that may have contributed to a man’s death. While it’s true that you can’t legislate decency, it is appropriate to hold people accountable for their actions.

We would like to think most people would have reacted with more compassion and courage than Davies. Passage of this bill won’t ensure that, but it will provide serious a consequence for those who do not.