The family of a Ben Davis senior who died on her last day of high school last June is pushing for changes to vehicle emissions testing laws.
18-year-old Savannah Bettis died after a car crash on Ronald Reagan Parkway, just north of U.S. 36 in Avon. Her boyfriend, 20-year-old Jesse Hurt, was driving.
Bettis had passed out in the passenger seat. Hurt called for help.
"I remember my hand shaking as I'm driving, my phone hits the floorboard and my eyes just start closing and I wake up in the hospital," Hurt said in an interview Friday. "I just knew that something went wrong and I didn't know what."
The Hendricks County Coroner determined that Bettis was killed by carbon monoxide poisoning. Evidence showed the car had significant exhaust leaks, sending carbon monoxide into the vehicle. The couple was overcome by carbon monoxide poisoning, causing the crash.
"I feel like I should have known, that something was wrong with my car. I should be educated on things like that, I wasn't. But I blame myself for not being educated in it," Hurt said.
"We know and we've known Jesse did nothing wrong," said Savannah's father, John Bettis.
"I knew something terrible happened, something happened in that car," said Savannah's mother, Wendy Bettis.
John Bettis has since started a petition calling for federal legislation requiring biannual emissions tests for all vehicles ten years old or newer, with annual emissions tests for all vehicles more than ten years old.
The call the legislation "Savannah's Law."
"A simple emissions test could have prevented our daughter's tragic death and that is what I need your help with. Not only would such legislation potentially save lives, it would also help with poor air quality. We were shocked when we found out how few states have mandatory statewide emissions testing," John Bettis says in the petition request.
The petition has more than 2,000 supporters online.
"Savannah would want this to keep going, to prevent things from happening. And that's why I'm here, to prevent any parents from going through that again," Hurt said.
"She would stand behind the cause, to help others. And that's why we're doing this, for her," John Bettis said.
"She wouldn't give up, and that's what we'll do. We'll fight," Wendy Bettis said.
Right now, 32 states require some type of emissions testing for vehicles. In Indiana, testing is only required in Lake and Porter Counties.
Her parents and boyfriend hope Savannah's law not only changes policy, but also raises awareness.
"It can happen to anybody. No one is special. You hear certain things like this that are on the news, you think it could never happen to me, it's just crazy. But when it happens, you want to let everyone know that it can happen. You want to do everything you can to stop it from happening," Hurt said.
Bettis' death was ruled an accident. Hurt will not face criminal charges.
Had Bettis not died from carbon monoxide, the coroner determined that the injuries she suffered in the crash would have been fatal as well.
From 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, family members will gather at the McAlister's Deli in Avon where Savannah used to work. They will collect signatures for the petition and sell "Savannah Strong" shirts to support the Ben Davis Show Choir.
Savannah's parents are reaching out to lawmakers. They already heard back from Senator Dan Coats' office in Washington.
