Mi boyfriend was involved in an auto accident. He was at fault, there was serious damage to other drivers vehicle, some damage to his vehicle, definately over 750.00 - Minor injuries to other parties, (bumped knee, shaken). He went to the other vehicle after the accident and provided them with our insurance information and then left the scene before the police arrived. He left because he has a warrant for his arrest and did not want to go to jail on Friday evening. He also has a suspended license for not paying the traffic ticket which caused the above mentioned warrent and the car was 2 months overdue for registration. Car is also registered to his mother, she tried to retreive the car from the scene but they would not allow it and towed it. How serious of trouble can he get into? He did move his car to a safe place and provided evidence of liability before leaving and NO he was not under the influence, just did not wast to spend Easter weekend in jail for warrant.
2007-04-07 20:16:05 · 12 answers · asked by E B 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
Laws about such things vary from state to state, so it's impossible to say for sure. In California, law requires someone involved in an accident to give several pieces of information to people involved, but does not require them to wait for police to arrive.
2007-04-07 22:12:31 · answer #1 · answered by James 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Of course you must still report it. Police and insurance are two different entities. One has nothing to do with the other. It's also completely irrelevant that you were not injured. And, why would a police officer have no right to investigate a car accident?? The proof and reason he had was your wrecked car in your driveway. It's also completely possible someone saw the crash and called the cops with your tag number. How is a ticket for leaving the scene of an accident not fair, when you left the scene of an accident?
2016-05-19 23:06:16 · answer #2 · answered by meredith 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If he was going to leave the scene such as he did, I don't know why he even bothered to give them insurance information. Your policy will not cover a driver with a suspended license. So, not only is he in a lot of trouble, but now you have to eat the bill for both car repairs and injuries.
He should have stayed. A misdemeanor for a minor traffic ticket violation and a weekend in jail is a whole lot better than a felony warrant for a hit and run.
2007-04-07 20:34:38 · answer #3 · answered by Karma 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I believe he could, and should be charged with leaving the scene.
Because his license had been suspended, he would not have been covered by most insurance companies. His mother's insurance company can refuse liability if they can show that she allowed an unlicensed driver to use her vehicle.
Due to the facts that he was operating an unregistered motor vehicle, while his license was suspended, and he already had an outstanding warrent, I believe that the court should take away his privilage to visit McDonald's or KFC for at least 1 year.
2007-04-07 21:24:36 · answer #4 · answered by robert h 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ok, so he was unregistered, with a suspended license, has a warrant for his arrest (an unpaid parking ticket alone might not be the cause of that), and left the scene of an accident.
No offense, but he did everything totally wrong. Plus he was at fault for the accident - depending on what that means, he would have gotten a ticket or other penalty for that too.
2007-04-07 20:28:14 · answer #5 · answered by Stuey 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Depends on the situation and country. The fact he left his details may assist one would think, if he left the correct details!!. Depending on the level of injury of the other party is another factor.
The fact he is unregistered may will leave his insurance invalid..
I think it would be a safe bet to say that with his record that leaving the scene will definitely work against him as well all the other factors you mentioned.
He may have missed the easter lock up but still be there for the Christmas party.
2007-04-07 20:28:24 · answer #6 · answered by kenny 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
few years ago I was working with a buddy doing some workman comp fraud cases, we were parked paralel on a street in L.A., Cal. The person we were following left his doctors apt. when we left my friend backed in to the car behind us.
we didnt stop or right a note, we called Police Dept. and gave them the info on the car we hit and the ins. info.
They told us since we did report it that it was not considered hit and run. even though we left the scean. and did not leave a note.
but your boyfriend is screwed and should not be on the road in the 1st place.
2007-04-08 06:55:06 · answer #7 · answered by tanksgt_82nd 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The short answer is yes. If he didn't want to go to jail maybe he shouldn't be driving with a suspended license. How would you react if you were hit and possibly injured by an unlicensed driver?
2007-04-07 20:21:39 · answer #8 · answered by MissWong 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
His first mistake was having an arrest warrant out one him. After that he just piled more charges upon himself, grief upon his mother, and possibly dragged you into the mess as well.
After that the police will be looking to add on any charges they think they can. Leaving the scene of an accident is just one of them. Driving on a suspended license is his second crime. Driving a car that he was not licensed to drive is his third mistake, does he even have car insurance?
His mother's mistake was letting a car on the road that was in her name, with an expired responsibility. That is enough of a crime for the police to impound her car. If she tries to get the car out of impound then she will have to pay the fine for having an expired registration and she will have to get the car registered. If she doesn't do it in a few days then the police will probably be looking for her car so they can stick her with an easy ticket.
Assuming she is able to get the car out of impound. If she acts fast then she might do it before the insurance tangle starts to unwind.
Once the people who were hit file a claim on the accident then their insurance company is going to contact his mother's insurance to try and find out what happened. If she admits that she was driving then it can be a simple settlement between the insurance companies and she will get the increases insurance rate. Since a police officer wasn't on the scene to give out a ticket she should avoid getting any points on her license.
If his mother doesn't accept responsibility, or if the people in the other car report that a male was driving and not a woman then there will be all hell to pay for.
The car was used in the commission of a felony; driving on a suspended license, so it can be impounded and will remain impounded until the case with her son is worked out and comes to its eventual end. With the discovery of her son as the driver then the police and the prosecutor will attempt to pile on leaving the scene of an accident. After that if they learn that he left the scene of the accident to avoid the police then he can be charged with evading arrest.
Another words if the police find out your boyfriend was involved in that accident then they will pile on every charge they can. If the police find out that he was driving the car and his mother claims responsibility for the accident then his mother could be charged with a crime as well; aiding and abetting a criminal to escape prosecution (her son used her car to avoid the police). Since the crime was done during the commission of a felony that means anyone in the car, including you could be dragged in and charged with a crime.
If your boy friend's mother doesn't take responsibility for the crime or if the police find out that she wasn't driving the car then the insurance company will learn and they will probably refuse to pay for any damages at all and are very likely to cancel the mother's insurance.
My recommendation is this.
1. Get a lawyer and have your boyfriend arraign to turn himself in.
2. Get that car out of impound as soon as possible.
3. Have the mother admit to having the accident or her son
will be in very deep hot water, instead of just hot water.
4. Consider getting a new boy friend, seriously.
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2007-04-07 20:58:29 · answer #9 · answered by Dan S 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It is always best to obey the law, when you don't you run the risk of loosing your freedom, and loosing your opportunity to live a worry free life.Your boy friend is in a lot of trouble and I would suggest that he get a very good lawyer. If he would have simply obeyed the laws in the first place he would not be in this situatiion. Tell him to start to obey the laws, pay his tickets, and keep his nose clean so that he does not bring any more hurt and heartache to you and his family. ! k
2007-04-07 20:47:21 · answer #10 · answered by gigi 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋