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Is this considered a Hit and Run?

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What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Texas.

I was at a workplace parking lot yesterday. While attempting to backup, I slightly hit the car behind me which was parked with no one in it. One person heard the noise and we both looked at the front of the car and agreed that there was no dents and/or both unable to tell which was at daytime. The witness who heard the noise left and recommended that I tell my supervisor to send an e-mail so we could reach out to the owner of the car. I took 2 pictures, one from the front and the back where the license plate number is. I, then went to get lunch and came back to the premises and told my supervisor, supervisor sent out the e-mail hoping that we would get a response. We did not. I called my auto insurance company to inform them of the accident so a claim number file was created, however, I had to step out and get back to work so we did not finish all of the questions that the representative was suppose to ask me. Couple hours later, I informed parking lot security and the security guy knew who the owner was so we finally found the owner (also an employee of the same company).

We all went outside. It was night time with lights. This time, his car was parked elsewhere in the same parking lot assuming he drove and had came-back. The owner also struggled to find any dents but he was concerned with couple very small dents (Not sure if these dents he was concerned were from me or not). He said he did not have his insurance information because he had just got a car. I gave him my insurance information and we both exchanged numbers as well. He said that he will closely check for dents in the morning and give me a call. I called my insurance company again but they said that we can't continue the same claim to add more information since it was forwarded to a different department that will handle it and I would have to call back in the morning. Employer security person also took pictures of my car and sent it to his his manager for records.

My concern: Would this be considered as a Hit and Run since I left the premises to get lunch for 30 minutes and then came back to my employer?
 


Ohiogal

Queen Bee
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Texas.

I was at a workplace parking lot yesterday. While attempting to backup, I slightly hit the car behind me which was parked with no one in it. One person heard the noise and we both looked at the front of the car and agreed that there was no dents and/or both unable to tell which was at daytime. The witness who heard the noise left and recommended that I tell my supervisor to send an e-mail so we could reach out to the owner of the car. I took 2 pictures, one from the front and the back where the license plate number is. I, then went to get lunch and came back to the premises and told my supervisor, supervisor sent out the e-mail hoping that we would get a response. We did not. I called my auto insurance company to inform them of the accident so a claim number file was created, however, I had to step out and get back to work so we did not finish all of the questions that the representative was suppose to ask me. Couple hours later, I informed parking lot security and the security guy knew who the owner was so we finally found the owner (also an employee of the same company).

We all went outside. It was night time with lights. This time, his car was parked elsewhere in the same parking lot assuming he drove and had came-back. The owner also struggled to find any dents but he was concerned with couple very small dents (Not sure if these dents he was concerned were from me or not). He said he did not have his insurance information because he had just got a car. I gave him my insurance information and we both exchanged numbers as well. He said that he will closely check for dents in the morning and give me a call. I called my insurance company again but they said that we can't continue the same claim to add more information since it was forwarded to a different department that will handle it and I would have to call back in the morning. Employer security person also took pictures of my car and sent it to his his manager for records.

My concern: Would this be considered as a Hit and Run since I left the premises to get lunch for 30 minutes and then came back to my employer?
It could be.
 

LdiJ

Senior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Texas.

I was at a workplace parking lot yesterday. While attempting to backup, I slightly hit the car behind me which was parked with no one in it. One person heard the noise and we both looked at the front of the car and agreed that there was no dents and/or both unable to tell which was at daytime. The witness who heard the noise left and recommended that I tell my supervisor to send an e-mail so we could reach out to the owner of the car. I took 2 pictures, one from the front and the back where the license plate number is. I, then went to get lunch and came back to the premises and told my supervisor, supervisor sent out the e-mail hoping that we would get a response. We did not. I called my auto insurance company to inform them of the accident so a claim number file was created, however, I had to step out and get back to work so we did not finish all of the questions that the representative was suppose to ask me. Couple hours later, I informed parking lot security and the security guy knew who the owner was so we finally found the owner (also an employee of the same company).

We all went outside. It was night time with lights. This time, his car was parked elsewhere in the same parking lot assuming he drove and had came-back. The owner also struggled to find any dents but he was concerned with couple very small dents (Not sure if these dents he was concerned were from me or not). He said he did not have his insurance information because he had just got a car. I gave him my insurance information and we both exchanged numbers as well. He said that he will closely check for dents in the morning and give me a call. I called my insurance company again but they said that we can't continue the same claim to add more information since it was forwarded to a different department that will handle it and I would have to call back in the morning. Employer security person also took pictures of my car and sent it to his his manager for records.

My concern: Would this be considered as a Hit and Run since I left the premises to get lunch for 30 minutes and then came back to my employer?
I don't thing so at all. You went above and beyond to locate the owner of the car and inform them...and you also informed your insurance company.
 
Although you did make an effort to locate the owner of the vehicle, you were required to "leave in a conspicuous place in, or securely attach in a plainly visible way to, the unattended vehicle a written notice giving the name and address of the operator and the owner of the vehicle that struck the unattended vehicle and a statement of the circumstances of the collision." If the damage is less than $200 it's a Class C misdemeanor.
 
Although you did make an effort to locate the owner of the vehicle, you were required to "leave in a conspicuous place in, or securely attach in a plainly visible way to, the unattended vehicle a written notice giving the name and address of the operator and the owner of the vehicle that struck the unattended vehicle and a statement of the circumstances of the collision." If the damage is less than $200 it's a Class C misdemeanor.
Even though I found the owner within hours?
 
Even though I found the owner within hours?
Well, the statute doesn't say "unless you find the owner within hours". And what if you had not found the owner? I really doubt anything is going to come of this but technically you are in violation of the code. Also, the code says "collides with and damages" and you say there was no damage.
 

LdiJ

Senior Member
The other user says Class C Misdemeanor if damage is less then $200?
I really do not think that you have anything to worry about. You did not believe that there was any damage and you made a very diligent effort to find the owner of the car. Yes, you inadvertently violated the statute, but you did that totally innocently. You also have a witness. Obviously the owner of the car is not going to sic the police on you, and even if he tried to do so at this point, I sincerely doubt that the police would treat it as a hit and run. Don't let yourself get all worried about it. Just keep that in mind if something like that ever happens again.
 
HorseUrodeinon: I should have written the note but I did not. The owner was the employee as well so I was confident that I was going to find the owner within hours. Can someone be charged with hit and run when eventually finding the owner within hours?

The witness there and I did not discover any dents at the time of accident.

What do you mean by if anything is going to come out of this?
 
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I really do not think that you have anything to worry about. You did not believe that there was any damage and you made a very diligent effort to find the owner of the car. Yes, you inadvertently violated the statute, but you did that totally innocently. You also have a witness. Obviously the owner of the car is not going to sic the police on you, and even if he tried to do so at this point, I sincerely doubt that the police would treat it as a hit and run. Don't let yourself get all worried about it. Just keep that in mind if something like that ever happens again.

The owner texted me last night and said that he will closely at the dents and call me in the morning. He has not done so. Should I wait? Or call him? What about the claim with my insurance company?
 

single317dad

Senior Member
The spirit of the law in most jurisdictions is that when you use your vehicle to damage someone else's property, you are to STOP right then and there and follow the related laws.

Not go to lunch.
Not head on home.
Not drive over to the insurance company.

If you call your agent right then and there, they should be able to tell you what to do. If not, call a police officer who should be able to do so. Failing all that, you should consult your attorney, who can advise you.

Sorry, but sometimes when you don't properly control your vehicle, you have to skip lunch to take care of the problem. While I don't think you'll get jail time over this, you could very well be charged.

A friend of mine was initially charged with LTS because he moved his truck out of the roadway to let traffic pass. Those charges were eventually dropped, but there was an injured pregnant woman involved, and the responding officer was in no mood to be trifled with.
 
The spirit of the law in most jurisdictions is that when you use your vehicle to damage someone else's property, you are to STOP right then and there and follow the related laws.

Not go to lunch.
Not head on home.
Not drive over to the insurance company.

If you call your agent right then and there, they should be able to tell you what to do. If not, call a police officer who should be able to do so. Failing all that, you should consult your attorney, who can advise you.

Sorry, but sometimes when you don't properly control your vehicle, you have to skip lunch to take care of the problem. While I don't think you'll get jail time over this, you could very well be charged.

A friend of mine was initially charged with LTS because he moved his truck out of the roadway to let traffic pass. Those charges were eventually dropped, but there was an injured pregnant woman involved, and the responding officer was in no mood to be trifled with.
Chances of me being charged?
 

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