Grieving mom starts petition to pass law requiring toxicology testing after a fatal crash

Press release from Kelli Boyd

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – After my 17-year-old son, Clayton “Boo” Emerson, was killed in a crash on June 1, 2024, the man who hit him was never tested for drugs or alcohol. There is no toxicology report, and there never will be. In the state of Florida, toxicology testing is not required when someone dies in a crash.

I’ve started a petition to create Clayton’s Law, which would make toxicology testing mandatory in every fatal crash. We are asking the public to stand with us and demand that no other family has to suffer this same failure.

You can view and share the petition here: https://www.change.org/Claytonlaw

Clayton was funny, loyal, loving, and full of life. He loved his family, his country, and his state. He was in the process of joining the Marines when his life was taken. The crash that killed him occurred in the middle of the night, and yet, the man who hit him was never tested. My family has been left with no answers and no closure.

This isn’t just my story, this is a systemic failure.

Families deserve the truth when their loved ones are killed.

We are demanding that the Florida Legislature pass Clayton’s Law:

• Require toxicology testing in every fatal crash, regardless of suspicion
• Ensure test results are shared with the next of kin
• Provide funding for under-resourced counties to make testing possible
• Set clear statewide standards and reporting processes

No more silence. No more excuses. Every life matters, and every loss deserves the full truth.

Please sign this petition to honor my son’s life and to protect other families from being left in the dark. Together, we can make sure that Clayton’s story leads to change.