Norwalk Evading Responsibility Lawyer
In Norwalk, a hit and run is the same thing as an evading responsibility offense. Norwalk law requires any person who operates a motor vehicle and is knowingly involved in an accident that causes serious physical injury or results in the death of a person or property to immediately stop and render such assistance as needed.
They are also required to give their name, address, operator’s number, and registration to the injured person or to any officer or witness on the scene. Failure to do this is known as evading responsibility. It is important to have a Norwalk evading responsibility lawyer who is familiar with local court processes.
A distinguished criminal attorney is familiar with the process in Norwalk will be able to work with the prosecutors and the judges well and will be able to leverage their experience to get the charges dismissed as quickly and effectively as possible.
When is Someone Evading Responsibility?
Title 14, Chapter 248, Section 14-224 of the General Statutes of Connecticut makes evading responsibility after an accident a crime. According to this statute, a driver involved in a collision must pull over immediately and provide certain information to all other drivers affected by the accident. This information consists of the following:
- Name and home address
- Driver’s license number
- Vehicle registration number
What if I Can’t Communicate With the Other Driver?
You still have to leave your information. If a driver can communicate with other motorists involved in the collision, they must provide this information to a witness or police officer. If for some legitimate reason they are unable to pull over at all, they must immediately provide this information, along with a description of the accident and its location, to a police officer or state trooper.
What are the Penalties for Evading Responsibility in Norwalk?
It depends on the severity of the accident. Penalties for an evading responsibility conviction in Norwalk County can vary depending on the accident. If the accident causes a death or serious injury, a driver who flees the scene will face a minimum mandatory one year sentence in jail.
What if There are no Serious Injuries?
If the accident is minor, and there is no serious injury as a result, the maximum sentence for evading responsibility is one year. Because there is no minimum sentence, a judge does not have to order any jail time at all. In most minor cases, these offenses may result in fines.
What if I am Unsure if I Need to Pull Over?
Evading responsibility is a crime that could have serious repercussions. If you are unsure of what to do after an accident, pull over and provide your contact information to the other driver.
How an Attorney Could Help
The infraction associated with leaving the scene of an accident is called failure to stop and show. A common instance of this is when someone has a minor accident in a parking lot, leaves their information, and the information blows away before the other person gets back to their car. In addition to that infraction, the prosecution can charge them with either the misdemeanor or the felony charge of evading responsibility.
The process of refuting an evading responsibility charge in Norwalk starts with negotiation with the prosecutor to try and figure out the best way to get the case dismissed. A Norwalk evading responsibility lawyer can also discuss the reasons for the person evading the scene to try to clear up the issue.