Bay Area mother advocates for Sean's Law following fatal motorcycle crash
A mother hopes to turn her grief into action
If adopted, "Sean's Law" could how investigations are conducted after serious crashes. FOX 13's Jennifer Kveglis has the story.
LARGO, Fla - More than a year after losing her son in a deadly motorcycle crash, a Bay Area mother is turning her grief into a push for changes to Florida's crash investigation process.
Virginia Bentley is advocating for what she calls "Sean's Law," named after her 22-year-old son, Sean Jennings Jr.
She hopes the proposal will help families get more answers by preserving potential evidence after serious crashes.
What happened to Sean?
What we know:
Sean was riding his motorcycle north on Seminole Boulevard in May 2025 when Florida Highway Patrol says another driver turning left onto 122nd Avenue North collided with him.
Sean died two days later.
FHP cited the other driver for failing to yield.
Bentley said she believes additional evidence could have provided her family with more closure.
What would 'Sean's Law' do?
Big picture view:
Under Bentley's proposal, drivers involved in certain serious crashes would be required to submit to blood testing for alcohol or drugs.
The goal, she says, would be to preserve evidence that could later be used as part of an investigation.
Bentley said, "It wouldn't deem anybody impaired or at fault or anybody guilty; it would just be preserving evidence for later on through the investigation."
Why Bentley wants the change
What they're saying:
Bentley said she is still struggling with the loss of her son and the unanswered questions surrounding his death.
She said she believes the proposed law could help other families avoid wondering whether evidence that might have provided answers was missed after a serious crash.
The idea grew from what Bentley describes as a gap between current Florida law and the evidence she believes should be preserved after serious crashes.
Legislative meetings ahead
What’s next
Bentley has launched an online petition supporting Sean's Law, which has gathered nearly 500 signatures.
She plans to meet with Bay Area lawmakers next week to get their feedback on the proposal and discuss what the legislation could look like.
For Bentley, the effort is now about turning her son's death into a potential change that could help other families.
The Source: Information for this story comes from an interview with Virginia Bentley, Sean Jennings Jr.'s mother, as well as information about the May 2025 crash provided in the reporter's script, including details from the Florida Highway Patrol citation.