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What Are the Penalties for Leaving the Scene of a Crash?

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Man hit by a car on the road grabbing his foot in pain

Do not leave the scene of a crash without complying with the reporting requirements. Leaving the scene of a crash is a criminal offense. The penalties depend on the damage caused by the crash and whether anyone was injured or killed. If you or a loved one have been involved in a hit-and-run crash in the Tampa Bay area contact an experienced criminal lawyer immediately.

What Are the Penalties for Leaving the Scene of a Crash?

The penalties for leaving the scene of a crash involving death or personal injuries are:

  1. A driver of a vehicle involved in a crash that results in injury to a person other than serious bodily injury commits a felony of the third degree;
  2. A driver of a vehicle involved in a crash that results in serious bodily injury commits a felony of the second degree; and
  3. A driver of a vehicle involved in a crash that results in the death of a person commits a felony of the first degree.

See § 316.027, Florida Statutes.

The penalties for leaving the scene of a crash involving damage to vehicle or property are:

  1. A driver of any vehicle involved in a crash resulting only in damage to a vehicle or other property commits a misdemeanor of the second degree.

See § 316.061, Florida Statutes.

Why Fernandez & ?

If you are in an accident, this is what you should do:

  1. Always report the accident to law enforcement immediately;
  2. Make sure you exchange insurance information with the other party;
  3. If you have left the scene of the accident you may have committed a misdemeanor or felony offense.

If you have left the scene of an accident and contact Fernandez & this is what we will do for you:

  1. We will report the accident for you to the appropriate law enforcement agency.
  2. If the accident involved property damage only we will arrange for law enforcement to meet you at our office to issue a misdemeanor citation for the offense. Many times a misdemeanor leaving the scene can be resolved with a withhold of adjudication meaning no conviction and payment of restitution. It may then be possible to seal and expunge your record.
  3. If leaving the scene of the accident involved injury or death, you will be charged with a felony offense. We will reach out to law enforcement on your behalf and report the accident. You will be subject to arrest but you will be entitled to a reasonable bond which we will help you secure. We will then begin to negotiate a resolution with law enforcement and the state attorney on your behalf.

The lawyers of Fernandez & recognize that good people make mistakes, especially when under stress and the trauma of an accident. Our goal is to help you find a resolution to your case whether a misdemeanor or felony so that you can have peace of mind and get back to your life.

If you have been in an accident and made the mistake of leaving the scene, call us at 813 229-5353.

Daniel J. Fernandez

Daniel J. Fernandez

Daniel J. Fernandez defends individuals charged with a misdemeanor and felony criminal offenses throughout the Tampa Bay area and the State of Florida. With more than 30 years of experience as a criminal defense attorney and hundreds of jury trials, Daniel earned tremendous accolades from judges, other lawyers, defendants, and even jurors. Daniel started his legal career as a state prosecutor and became the chief of the Narcotics division before opening his own law practice in 1985.

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