Yellow Alert
The California Statewide Yellow Alert Program was introduced through Assembly Bill 1732 and became law in 2022 by adding Section 8594.15 to the California Government Code. A Yellow Alert is activated when a person has been killed due to a hit-and-run incident and the law enforcement agency has specified information concerning the suspect or the suspect’s vehicle.
Yellow Alert Criteria
In order for a Yellow Alert to be activated, law enforcement must be satisfied the following criteria have been met (Government Code section 8594.15):
1. A person has been killed due to a hit-and-run incident.
2. There is an indication that a suspect has fled the scene utilizing the state highway system or is likely to be observed by the public on the state highway system.
3. The investigating law enforcement agency has additional information concerning the suspect or the suspect’s vehicle, including, but not limited to, any of the following:
(A) The complete license plate number of the suspect’s vehicle.
(B) A partial license plate number and additional unique identifying characteristics, such as the make, model, and color of the suspect’s vehicle, which could reasonably lead to the apprehension of a suspect.
(C) The identity of a suspect.
4. Public dissemination of available information could either help avert further harm or accelerate apprehension of a suspect based on any factor, including, but not limited to, the time elapsed between a hit-and-run incident and the request or the likelihood that an activation would reasonably lead to the apprehension of a suspect.
What should the public do?
Every member of the community can play an important role in a Yellow Alert. If you have information about a hit-and-run incident that has occurred do not approach or make contact with the person and call 911 immediately to report it. Be prepared to provide the location, any relevant descriptions and make, model, color, and license plate number (if possible) of the suspect vehicle involved. Even the smallest piece of information can be the piece that leads to a successful outcome.