When hit and run accidents happen, it is the job of the Police to investigate these collisions and determine if a person committed a crime. Law Enforcement will typically charge someone for leaving the scene of an accident if they knew or should have known the collision involved bodily injuries or property damage.
Police treat allegations of leaving an accident seriously and frequently devote substantial resources to Plantation hit and run investigations. When you have been charged with suspicion of leaving the scene of a crash, a dedicated defense Attorney can help.
What Constitutes a Hit-and-Run Accident?
To understand when the Police in Plantation will investigate a hit and run accident, it is important to know when this type of accident occurs. A hit and run happens when a person leaves the scene of a motor vehicle collision when the law obligates them to stay there. Leaving in these situations could result in a criminal charge.
It is not against the law to leave every collision, however. When a traffic collision does not result in bodily injuries, it is legal to leave the accident scene if there is little to no property damage. Serious property damage requires a motorist to remain at the scene. If a driver strikes a parked car and cannot locate the owner, they can leave the scene if they make an effort to find the owner and leave their contact information with the damaged vehicle.
What Police Do in Hit and Run Cases
Police are always on patrol throughout the city. When hit-and-run accidents happen, the first thing most people do is notify Law Enforcement. Dispatchers will reach out to the Officers in closest proximity to the crash site, and they will immediately travel to the scene.
The nature of their investigation depends on the information the other driver provides. If the other driver can supply the make and model of the vehicle, the Police might scour the area looking for the motorist that left the scene. They often use the damage sustained by the car in the crash to identify it.
These efforts are different in cases where the other driver writes down the license plate number of the motorist that left the scene. In these situations, the Police can track down the owner of the vehicle through registration records. Even if they cannot find the person near the hit and run scene in Plantation, these investigations often result in an arrest at a later date.
The problem with these investigations is that the Police are often overzealous. Tracking down the vehicle involved in a hit and run is not the same as finding the driver. Usually, the Police will make a mistake in assuming the owner of a vehicle reportedly in an accident was responsible. In other cases, the Police could arrest the wrong person entirely.
Talk to an Attorney About Plantation Hit and Run Investigations
When you are the target of a Plantation hit and run investigation, you need to retain an Attorney right away. Strong legal counsel could help you defend your rights and avoid a criminal conviction on your record. Before you talk to the Police, speak to an Attorney about your case. Reach out to Leifert & Leifert for a confidential consultation.
