Hit and run accidents are no joke. They occur when an individual crashes into other property, cars, homes, mailboxes, or even people, and flee the scene at any point before making any report with law enforcement and being told they can leave the scene. Any time a driver hits anything and flees the scene before communicating with the property owner or person involved or law enforcement, they have committed a hit and run; hit and run is a criminal offense. Although you may think it is the end of the world, should you or someone you know be involved in a hit and run accident and happen to be the hitter, there may still be some extent of a defense available for you.
Depending on the damage done, or if the at fault party was in the commission of another crime, hit and runs can be seen as minor as a misdemeanor or as serious as a felony. This is why it is important to speak with a criminal defense attorney even if you are guilty of this offense.
Typically, when an individual is involved in a motor vehicle accident all involved parties exchange contact information as well as insurance information and then call law enforcement to the scene of the crime. If there are no other serious crimes committed such as driving with a suspended license or driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, no one should be arrested, only citations will be issued. So other than other criminal offenses occurring, why would an individual flee the scene of a motor vehicle accident?
Situations that could not wait. Something very urgent could have caused that person to continue on their path in a rush. If that reason is valid, there may be a loophole for you in your case. Say your house was just reported on fire or your child suffered a serious injury at school.
Unaware they hit anything. This is hard to prove as you should feel when your car strikes other property, but maybe you just didn’t know.
By speaking with a criminal defense attorney and laying out all the facts of your case, you increase the possibility of having a legitimate reason for your hit and run. Should you truly be innocent, a skilled attorney may be able to prove that. While it is very scary to face, should you or someone you know be at fault in a hit and run accident, contact an attorney in Dekalb County, GA to see what legal options are available to have your charges reduced or dropped entirely.
Thanks to Andrew R. Lynch, P.C. for their insight into criminal defense and hit and run cases.