The family of a 29-year-old lineman killed in a hit-and-run crash is now working to turn their grief into action.
James Rudzki, a lineman for Pike Electric, was killed while working to restore power for customers who had lost electricity. Months later, his family says the pain of his death has not eased.
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“He was out there doing his job, restoring power to those who lost it. And he was killed doing what he loved,” said Rudzki’s mother, Krystal Brown.
Brown said the days following her son’s death were overwhelming.
“Devastation. Complete devastation. Couldn’t believe it. Didn’t believe it. Didn’t want to believe it,” she said.
According to the family, the man charged in connection with the hit-and-run that killed Rudzki is out on bond, something Brown says has made the grieving process even harder.
Now, Brown says she is determined to make sure her son’s death leads to change. She is working to push for legislation that would increase penalties for drivers who leave the scene of crashes that result in a death.
“Not just probation. They should immediately lose their license. Not be able to go out there and drive and be careless and reckless possibly again and take another life,” Brown said.
Nearly five months after Rudzki’s death, his family says they are still waiting for answers and accountability as the case moves through the court system.
“The justice system has to work at their pace, not our pace. And the justice system is not made for the victims. And that is a hard thing for us to swallow as a family,” Brown said.
For Rudzki’s family, the hope is that pushing for tougher consequences will help prevent another family from experiencing the same loss. To learn more about the petition pushing for stronger penalties click here.
