Strategy if You've Been Involved in a Hit and Run Accident
If you flee the scene of a traffic accident, you could be charged with hit-and-run, a severe crime that can result in huge fines and jail time. In California, there are two types of hit-and-run charges.
Vehicle Code Section 20002 VC defines a misdemeanor hit-and-run crime, and Vehicle Code Section 20001 VC defines a felony hit-and-run crime. Both statutes are talked about further below.
More and more, there are accidents on the road, and people are being killed and injured. There's a lot of hit-and-run activity going on as well.
I believe the police and prosecutors will start to step up their efforts in catching and punishing those involved in hit-and-run accidents.
So, if you or a loved one is charged with or being investigated for a hit-and-run accident, you should hire an attorney immediately.
I've been handling hit-and-run matters in Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley for the past 30 years, and I know the right strategy to employ so that you can achieve the best result.
It is a step-by-step process: You come into my office, we sit down and talk, and we try to figure out exactly what has happened and what can be done to help you be successful.
When I talk about success, I mean avoiding a filing or a conviction or trying to get some resolution that potentially involves not going to jail or losing your driver's license.
Our Los Angeles criminal defense attorneys will examine the laws below in more detail to help you better understand them.
Vehicle Code 20002 VC – Misdemeanor Hit and Run
Most hit-and-run cases in California are prosecuted as a misdemeanor offense, which is described as:
- VC 20002 – a hit-and-run involving only property damage but no injuries. This statute is always a misdemeanor that carries a fine of up to $1000, up to 6 months in jail and a 2-point penalty on a driver's license.
Vehicle Code 2002 states a car driver's responsibilities after they are involved in an accident causing property damage. It states that you:
- required to stop your vehicle nearby immediately;
- have to provide other parties with your name and address;
- if requested, you must also provide the other driver with your driver's license and car registration.
In some misdemeanor hit-and-run cases, you might be able to get the criminal charges dismissed as long as you accept responsibility for all the expenses.
This is known as a “civil compromise,” and the requirements are listed under California Penal Code 1378 PC. If you meet all these requirements, the court could dismiss the criminal charges against you.
Vehicle Code 20001 VC – Felony Hit and Run
This statute makes it a serious felony crime to leave the scene of a car accident when someone was injured or killed:
- VC 20001 – a hit and run causing physical injury or death to someone. This statute is a “wobbler” that can be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony. When a hit and run involves injury or death, however, the prosecution will generally file felony charges that carry up to $10,000 in fines and up to four years in jail.
Like a misdemeanor hit and run, it doesn't matter who was at fault in causing the accident.
A typical example of violations of VC 20001 felony hit and run include striking a pedestrian in a crosswalk and immediately fleeing the scene. Another example consists of a DUI driver who becomes involved in a car accident and quickly leaves the scene.
These hit-and-run accidents in the San Fernando Valley are investigated by a specific division in the West Valley area if they occur in that part of the Valley.
There's another location on Nolan Street in the heart of the Valley. It depends on where the accident occurs when we think about how it will be investigated and dealt with.
What are the Related California Crimes?
- Vehicle Code 23152(a) VC – driving under the influence,
- Vehicle Code 23153 VC – driving under the influence causing injury,
- Vehicle Code 23103 VC – reckless driving,
- Vehicle Code 14601 – driving with a suspended license,
- Vehicle Code 2800.1 VC – evading police in a vehicle.
- Penal Code 192(c) PC – vehicular manslaughter,
- Penal Code 191.5 PC – gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated,
Initial Strategy Meeting in Hit and Run Cases
I would suggest that if you or your loved one is involved in a hit-and-run accident in Los Angeles County, pick up the phone and make a phone call to me.
We will sit down and discuss what strategy makes sense for you moving forward, such as whether or not you should go to the police and report the accident.
I have some people who are in a hit-and-run accident and leave their car at the scene. That's going to come back to you eventually. Sometimes, it's better to take a proactive approach to dealing with it.
I have other people who are just involved in a hit-and-run accident, and you can't tell whether or not the police are going to be able to figure out if you were engaged because you left the scene.
The question is, is there any video? Did anybody get a driver's license, and even if they did, can somebody identify you?
There are also other instances where you're actually in the car. People see you. You know they got your license plate, and it's returning to you.
Your car has been damaged, and eventually, the police will come. You don't want to sit and wait and hope. You want to take proactive steps toward dealing with the matter.
Experienced Hit and Run Lawyer
Part of the pain in dealing with a hit-and-run accident is that you, as an individual, are worried about what could potentially happen to you.
So, that's something of great concern to people. They don't want the police to come to their home, their business, in front of their neighbors and friends, arrest them, and embarrass them.
So, you've come to the right place. Over the years, I've handled many hit-and-run accidents, so I know what success takes. You'll go and sit down, and we'll meet, and we'll get a strategy together that fits your circumstances. Not all circumstances and strategies are the same. Would you be willing to pick up the phone now and request a meeting with Ron Hedding?
